Zombie Games
Author: Kristen Middleton
Date: 2012-05-28 04:00:00+00:00
Keywords: Horror; Young Adult; Zombies; Fantasy; Romance; Paranormal; Dystopia; Fiction; Adventure; Apocalyptic
Description: Cassandra Wild, una joven de 17 años, pensaba que vivir en el caos de la guardería de su madre y tener que enfrentarse a sus nuevos sentimientos por Bryce, su instructor de artes marciales, era una constante lucha... hasta que su mundo se pone patas arriba. Cuando una vacuna sin testar resulta ser más mortífera que un descontrolado virus de la gripe Cassie aprende a sobrevivir en un mundo en el que los muertos caminan y los vivos… ¡corren!Esta historia para jóvenes adultos es una aventura desenfadada repleta de zombis, chicas adolescentes duras de pelar, un hombre obsesionado con los videojueg
Publisher: Babelcube Inc.

Featuring:

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Planet Z

After the Human race has depleted most of the Earth's natural resources, Alexandra (Alex) Logan and her little brother, Jimmy, join their parents, both Planetary Astronomers, in a mission to try and save what is left of mankind.

The mission?

Bring back conclusive evidence that Planet "Z" is the miracle they've been searching for - a planet that can sustain human life. Unfortunately, they soon learn that the wonders of this new place are overshadowed by the terrifying secrets revealed on their way to the planet.

Get your free ebook copy (click here)

Zombie Games (Uncut) Boxed Set

Copyright ©2016 by Kristen Middleton

All rights reserved.

Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of this copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

The characters and events portrayed in these books are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.  The author acknowledges the trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which has been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owner

As always,

Thank you to my family
and friends
for their support
and patience

And thank you, God, for the many blessings in my life.

Click to Read

Origins

Running Wild

Hope For A Happy Ending

Dead Endz

Road Kill

End Zone

Book One

1

“Cassie, take out the garbage.”

“Why can’t Allie do it?” I asked, closing the refrigerator door, pickle jar in hand.

“Because it’s your job,” replied my mother, who was sitting at the kitchen counter leafing through the mail.

I pulled out the largest dill I could find and crunched down. “Mom,” I said between chews, “come on, she needs more chores. She’s twelve.”

“Don’t talk with your mouth full.”

“Sorry.”

She peered at me over her glasses. “Tell you what… you can do the dishes and I’ll have her take out the garbage.”

“Fine, I’ll take out the garbage.”

“I thought so,” she answered with a wry smile.

I rolled my eyes and swallowed the last of the juicy pickle. Before I could reach for another, she pointed to the trash can. “The pickles will still be here when you return.”

“I still can’t believe you’re making me do this in the middle of the night,” I pouted, glancing out the window into the darkness.

“That’s funny, coming from a seventeen-year-old who keeps begging me to extend her curfew.”

“Yes, but not to go wandering alone in the dark.”

Her eyes softened. “Honey, there’s nothing to be afraid of. We live on a quiet cul-de-sac in the suburbs.”

Even though my mother was trying to comfort me, I just couldn’t shake the feeling of dread or quiet the niggling voice inside, whispering of something wicked lurking in the darkness. But then again, it could just be the fact that I’d been watching a horror flick earlier and it’d totally freaked me out. “Ok, well, if I’m not back in two minutes, send dad out.”

“Right,” she snorted. “Little Ms.BlackBelt.”

I couldn’t help but grin. Last week I’d received my Black Belt after four years of intense discipline and training. It took a lot of patience and commitment, but earning the Belt was worth it.

As I stepped outside, a warm breeze lifted my brown hair, blowing it across my face. I glanced up at the sky and shrugged off my anxiety; it really was a peaceful evening. The stars glimmered brightly and the moon was full.

As I rounded the corner of the garage, Charlie, one of the neighbors’ dogs, began to bark; which was a pretty common occurrence. As annoying as it typically was, tonight it was somewhat comforting to know I wasn’t alone.

“Hey, it’s just me, Charlie!” I called, my voice echoing across the dark cul-de-sac. A lone streetlight flickered on his side of the circle.

Charlie’s barking increased and he tossed in some obnoxious growls. As far as I was concerned, this dog had some serious trust issues.

There was a sudden loud crash from behind the Hendrickson’s Rambler and the motion-detector light flickered out. Charlie growled angrily in the darkness for a few seconds and then, without warning, let out an ear-piercing yelp.

Oh crap, that can’t be good, I thought.

A knot formed in the pit of my stomach as I began to panic. Really, I wanted nothing more than to take out the garbage and hurry back inside. I also knew that if I ignored Charlie, and he was hurt, I’d never forgive myself.

Dropping the garbage bag, I started walking toward his house when I heard a deep, strangled moan. I froze in my tracks; that wasn't Charlie.

I shivered. “Hello? Mr. Hendrickson?”

A tall shadow emerged from the darkness and my breath caught in my throat. I watched, motionless, as the figure shuffled through Charlie’s yard toward me. It was about a hundred yards away when the figure stopped directly under the streetlamp. I sighed with relief when I recognized Scott, a guy from my karate class, who I’d dated a few times. It certainly was creepy, though, that he was lurking around the neighbor’s yard in the middle of the night.

“Scott, what are you doing out here?” I called out.

He just stared at me, swaying slightly.

“Is everything okay?” I tried again, wondering if he was drunk. He’s my age, seventeen, and I’ve never known him to drink alcohol or use any kind of drugs, so his behavior was odd. I stepped closer and noticed that he held Charlie in his arms. An alarm went off in my head, and I froze. “Um, is Charlie hurt?”

Scott growled and then dropped his face down toward Charlie, who lay motionless. When he lifted his head back up, there was a dark red stain covering his mouth. He smacked his lips and moaned in some kind of twisted pleasure. I shuddered in horror as my brain finally registered what was happening. Scott was feeding on Charlie!

“Oh…my…God!” I choked, backing away. Bile rose in the back of my throat as the guy I once kissed assaulted the dog again with that very same mouth.

I turned to run, stumbling over the garbage bag I’d dropped, my ankle twisting in pain. I cried out and struggled to stand when something grabbed my leg firmly. I looked back and froze in shock; it was Scott, only it wasn’t him. His green eyes were now black as death, cold and lifeless. His skin was gray and riddled with bloody sores. His mouth, which still dripped with Charlie’s blood, twisted into a grimace and he let out an unearthly screech.

“Scott?!” I screamed as his teeth tore into my skin.

***

I opened my eyes and drew my comforter up to my chin. Reminding myself it was just a dream, I released a shaky sigh and forced myself to chill out. Yes, it was definitely time to stop watching horror flicks before bed. Forcing the last of the disturbing images from my mind, I turned over and let out a real bloodcurdling scream.

“Jed, what are you doing in my room!?” I gasped. It was the third time this week he’d snuck up on me. Apparently, it was now a special game.

Three-year-old Jed giggled with delight. “Hi, Cassie,” he said, licking a thick layer of green slime from his nose. Even in the dark I could tell the sleeves on his Spiderman shirt were crusty from dried-up snot. “Hey, want to see my new caw?” he said. Jed has a hard time pronouncing his R’s. He removed something from his jeans and lifted it proudly into the air; a small, blue convertible that had seen better days.

“Nice,” I mumbled, plumping up the pillow. “Now…please, go find Kris. You need a tissue.”

Instead of leaving, however, he opened his mouth and began coughing, hurling millions of invisible germs toward me.

I backed away in horror and yelled, “Mom!” Sure, he’s adorable with his big blue eyes and dimpled cheeks, but I’ll be the first to admit; I have a major phobia of germs. My room is off-limits and the daycare kids are forbidden to enter it; especially, the little “germy” ones.

My mother popped her head into my room and cringed. “I’m sorry, Cassie. I didn’t know he snuck in. Come on, Jed, time to clean you up.”

I snorted. “Clean him up? What about my blankets? He just infested my whole bed with his nasty cold germs.”

Jed‘s lower lip began to tremble and his eyes welled up with tears. “Sowy, Cassie,” he whispered.

My heart melted immediately. I reached over and ruffled his curly blond hair. “Hey, it’s okay, Jed. Just cover your mouth when you cough.”

His face lit up. “Huggies?” he asked, raising his crusty arms.

“Um, later, okay?” I replied as I beckoned my mom with my eyes.

She grabbed him and placed him on her hip. “Come on, Jedster. Let’s go wipe your boogies and get something to eat.”

“Thanks. Make sure nobody else waltzes in here.”

She motioned toward my alarm clock. “Hey, Wild One, it is time for you to get up for school. Start going to bed earlier and you won‘t be so grumpy every morning.”

I gritted my teeth. “I’m not grumpy. And quit calling me that.”

My last name is “Wild” and my family thinks it’s amusing to call me The Wild One, because I was such a handful as a kid.

My mother frowned but left my room without another word. As she closed the door, I could hear the chaos taking place in other areas of the house; kids were chasing each other, someone was screaming about a lost toy, and a baby began to howl. We live in Wolf Creek, a small town in Minnesota, and my mom runs a daycare in our house. What was once a calm home, is now hectic zoo. It was only Monday and I already yearned for the weekend.

I dragged myself out of bed, grabbed my favorite white Henley T-shirt and a pair of jean shorts, then snuck into the bathroom to take a shower. Unfortunately, I have to share it with the daycare kids, so I have to be stealthy about it. If they realize it’s me in the bathroom, they’ll do things to torture me, like wiggling their fingers under the door, jiggling the knob, or repeating “Wild” over and over, annoying the heck out of me. Today was no exception.

“Enough,” I warned, combing through my thick, dark hair. I pulled it into a ponytail and looked closely at my reflection in the mirror. Brown eyes, small turned up nose, and extremely dry lips. I rummaged through the medicine cabinet and found some of my sister’s “plumping” lip gloss. I applied it gingerly to my lips and then frowned. Now they looked swollen, like I‘d been punched. I tried wiping it off, but it didn’t help. My eyes widened in shock as they continued to puff out.

Seriously, I thought, why would anyone intentionally do this to their lips? It was embarrassing and my lips were starting to sting.

I threw my hands up in defeat and stomped into the kitchen. To my dismay, I noticed three other kids, sick with colds. They all smiled at me, matching snot dripping from their noses.

“You have got to be kidding. What is it with everyone dropping off their kids here when they’re sick? Shouldn’t they be home taking care of them?”

“I know, nothing I can do about it unless they have fevers,” mom replied wearily as she grabbed several tissues and began wiping noses. “Everyone seems to be getting sick with this horrible cold. Some parents even dropped off their kids just so they could go back home and rest.”

“Figures,” I mumbled.

I pulled out my cell phone to check my messages when, Daniel, a five-year-old boy who pretends he’s my shadow, sneezed all over it. I turned to my mom in horror, who winced and quickly handed me an antibacterial wipe.

“Daniel, why don’t you go and draw Cassie a nice picture?” she said, guiding him away from me.

Frantic to escape, I grabbed a cereal bar and my truck keys. “I’ll eat this at school. I‘ve got a karate class tonight.”

My mom nodded and then wrinkled her nose. “Megan? Do you have a poopy diaper?”

I turned and fled the kitchen before I could smell the answer. Just then my dad shuffled by in his robe on the way to his “Man Cave” in the lower level of our home. He calls it his sanctuary from “Daycare Hell.” Right now he looked like he’d just stepped out of Hell himself, with the dark circles under his eyes and hair that stuck up in every direction.

“Hi, dad,” I said. “Let me guess, you were up late again blasting zombies?”

He smiled sheepishly. “Heh. I actually finished the game.”

My dad was addicted to video games. Before I was born, he once spent thirty-six hours straight playing Everguild, a very addictive Internet game, surviving only on caffeine and buttery pretzels. When my mom became pregnant, she lost her patience with his harmless addiction and brought a group of his friends together for an “Everguild Intervention.” Now he’s only allowed to play games on his Wii or PlayStation, which he has only a slightly better handle on.

“Do you have to work today?” I asked him. My dad sells cars for a living, which isn’t particularly his dream job. Unfortunately it’s something he’s really good at, so although he grumbles about it endlessly, he never changes it.

“Not until this afternoon. You ready to try out my new Beretta?” he asked, his face lighting up. His other addiction has to do with guns. Almost every Saturday since I turned sixteen, has been spent at the gun range with my father and grandfather. Both avid collectors, they own about thirty different guns between the two of them. When I began showing an interest last year, they were both delighted and started teaching me everything they could about guns. Now my aim is almost as good as my dad’s.

“Sorry, dad, I can’t make it to the gun range for the next couple of weeks. I have to study for final exams,” I answered. “Plus, prom’s coming up. I’m just too busy.”

Folding his arms, he gave me a stern look. “That’s right. You’re going with that Scott kid, aren’t you?” he asked. “Remember, no pre-prom parties, no hotels, and definitely no alcohol.”

I snorted. “Hello? Does that really sound like me? And you do realize that Scott and I are just friends? I‘ve told you this so many times.”

His eyes softened. “Good, keep it that way.”

“Well, I’m just lucky he’s going with me. I didn’t go last year and probably would have skipped the senior prom as well if he hadn‘t volunteered to take me.”

“Are you kidding me? He’s the lucky one!”

I bit back a smile. My dad’s having a difficult time with the idea of me dating anyone, which he shouldn’t; my love life is as dead as the zombies in his games. Scott and I are only friends, but it always seems to slip his mind. The last time I went out with Scott, my dad had insisted on chatting with him before we left for the movie theater, all while cleaning three of his guns. My dad found it amusing; I was horrified. But Scott thought my dad’s guns were “awesome” and missed the entire point.

“Wait, Cassie!” hollered my mom from the top of the stairs. My stomach clenched when I saw she was holding a dirty diaper. I swear there was steam radiating from the putrid bundle.

“What?”

She narrowed her eyes. “What’s wrong with your lips?”

I released a deep sigh. “Allie’s plumping lip gloss.”

She bit the side of her lip. “Oh. Well they’ll probably shrink down soon. Anyway, could you please pick up Allie from her dance class tonight?”

I groaned.

“Please? You‘re going to karate anyway, just swing by on your way home.”

“Okay, fine.”

“Thank you, honey.”

I nodded then sprinted out the front door before she tried to volunteer me for anything else. Allie’s my twelve-year-old sister, and since my parents pitched in to help me purchase my truck last year, I’m her personal chauffeur. I didn’t mind at first, but since she’s started middle school, her social life is busier than mine. Sometimes I have to fit my plans into her schedule.

Glancing across the cul-de-sac, I noticed Charlie following Mr. Hendrickson to his mailbox. We waved at each other and Charlie stared at me instead of blasting me with his usual obnoxious barking.

I hopped into my truck, a red ‘98 Chevy S10, which has seen much better days, and prayed silently that it wouldn’t give me problems; it’s been finicky about starting recently and I really don’t have time to get it checked out; especially with prom coming up. When it turned over right away, I sighed with relief and drove over to my friend Paige’s house.

“Hi. You’re early. Oh… my… God… what happened to your lips!?” Paige cried, covering her mouth.

“It looks that bad?”

“It just looks…painful.”

Paige, as always, looked perfect. With her long, blond hair and startling green eyes, half the guys at school are in awe of her. Some people at school call her Skipper, Barbie’s younger sister, because of her sun-kissed skin, high cheekbones, and carefree spirit.

“My lips were dry, so I tried using one of Allie’s lip gloss tubes. Bad choice.”

“I guess,” she replied, trying to hide a smile. “Do they hurt?”

I pursed my lips and nodded. “They burn a little.”

“Just use Vaseline next time. That’s all I use.”

“Oh.”

She pushed her hair behind her ears. “Did you watch the news this morning?”

“Are you kidding? In my house you won’t find anything but Dora or Elmo‘s World on the television.”

“Well, the media is all over this flu virus. It’s amazing how fast it‘s spreading. Many people are actually getting so sick they’re being quarantined in different countries. It’s like the Black Plague.”

“Most of the little kids in my house are sick. If this keeps up, I swear I’m moving out.”

“Hah, you wish. Anyway, it’s getting so bad, that in Europe, they’ve closed down a ton of schools. Wouldn’t it be awesome if ours was shut down? We could hang out at the mall and check out hot guys all day long.”

I laughed. “Yeah, fat chance of that happening. They won’t even close when we have ten feet of snow.”

“Well I, for one, am sick of school; sick of all the uptight bitches, juvenile jocks, and dumb-ass tests. Seriously, I wouldn’t mind if school shut down for the rest of the year!”

I raised my eyebrows. “Wow. Having a rough week?”

She shrugged and stared out the passenger window.

"Ok, spill it. What’s wrong, Paige?”

She looked at me, her eyes moist. “Eva King. She’s such a lying, two-faced bitch. You know, she pretended to be my friend just so she could get closer to Kyle.”

Kyle used to be Paige’s boyfriend until he broke it off with her last month. I thought she’d gotten over it already since she seemed to have a crush on someone new every week.

“What do you mean?”

“I saw them kissing in the halls yesterday. She is such a conniving bitch!”

Eva is actually one of the most popular girls in school. Although Paige is much prettier and likeable, Eva’s mother is a famous news anchor and she gets treated like she’s some kind of a movie star herself. Eva’s also head-cheerleader and owns this super turbo-charged Mercedes convertible. Most of the guys at school are hot for her car.

“And he’s a prick… they deserve each other.”

She wiped away a tear and sniffled. “Well… anyway… there is this new guy, Jeremy, who’s really cute. He sits next to me in Biology.”

I chuckled. “I can see you’re truly heartbroken.”

Paige placed her hands over her heart. “I‘m sure Jeremy could help mend it.”

We both burst out laughing. Little did we know that in the next couple of days, our lives would turn into a living nightmare, and that we would have given anything to have such trivial problems.

2

I spent most of the day at school trying to avoid those who were sick, which was almost everyone. Many kids were absent, and the halls were unnaturally quiet, except for the consistent coughing and nose-blowing.

During last period, my math teacher, Mr. Hogan, a balding man in his fifties, blew his nose loudly and said, “Keep taking your vitamins, everyone. This flu takes no prisoners!”

In answer, many of the students wiped their own noses or coughed. I shrunk down in my desk and took out a small bottle of antibacterial gel, rubbing some on my hands. A girl next to me noticed and snorted.

I glared at her. “It’s called keeping your hands clean. You should try it sometime.”

She gave me the finger, muttering something obscene under her breath.

Toward the end of class, our principal, Mrs. Davis, made an unexpected visit and handed Mr. Hogan some forms. They spoke quietly for several minutes and then she left, grabbing a tissue on the way out. I watched as Mr. Hogan removed his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose while examining the paperwork she’d dropped off.

Finally, he looked up and cleared his throat. “Listen up, people,” he called. “This week, the school is giving free flu shots to all of the students. I am going to hand out all the information regarding the vaccination. Take it home, have your parents read it, sign it, and then bring it back as soon as possible.”

A few of the students moaned in protest.

He smiled wryly and leaned back in his chair. “I understand your enthusiasm. You may not be excited about getting vaccinated, but it’s for your own good. The school is urging everyone to have this flu shot. In fact, anyone who doesn’t get permission will be required to stay home the following week, until we get this influenza epidemic under control. So, this vaccination is necessary if your parents want to keep you in school and out of the house. And… for those of you who don’t get permission, we can email you your assignments.”

Great, I thought. My mother will never agree to this flu shot, so I’ll be stuck at home next week. My parents don’t believe in messing with “Mother Nature.” They feel that flu shots lower the immune system, making one more vulnerable to other illnesses. That could also explain why our family has avoided this particular flu. My mother’s daily handful of vitamins and my green-peach tea addiction doesn’t hurt, either.

The bell rang and I stopped into the bathroom to wash my hands. I glanced up into the mirror and found Eva King standing right next to me. She looked miserable.

“Hey, Wild. God, I hate this frigging cold,” she mumbled and blew her nose, which looked painfully red.

Trying to forget the way she screwed over my best friend, I forced a smile. “Bummer you’re sick, too, huh?”

She nodded and smoothed down her long, red hair. “Yes. You know,” she said, turning to me, her blue eyes wide. “Sometimes I wish I were more like you. Your mom’s not famous and you get to blend in with everyone else at school. Nobody expects you to look perfect when you walk in every single day. It must be nice. I mean, I have to look amazing all the time. It’s a lot of work having my background and social status. Even this sick, I don’t get a day off.”

I bit back my laughter and replied, “Yes, I don’t think I could handle living in your world, Eva. It must be very stressful.”

Her eyes narrowed, but before she could respond, Nora Biggs slammed out of a bathroom stall, an unlit cigarette hanging from her mouth. Nora was fairly new in the school and most people shied away from her because of her unusual punk style, short temper, and rebellious attitude.

“Hi, Nora,” I said.

Nora nodded and then began washing her hands. We have karate class together and I’ve driven her home a few times. We weren’t exactly friends, but she was civil to me.

Eva stared at Nora’s nose. “Nora. Wow, I just love your nose ring! Is that a real Zirconia?”

Even sick, Eva was a complete bitch.

Nora‘s eyes burned with fury and I waited for the explosion. Instead, she removed the cigarette from her lips and smirked. “No, it’s a diamond. Your boyfriend gave it to me last night after we made out.”

Eva’s lips formed a tight line. “Classy,” she mumbled, grabbed her purse, and turned to walk away.

“Hey, Eva,” Nora said, grabbing a paper towel.

She turned around and snapped, “What?”

Nora smiled coldly. “You do realize that this is only high school? Being popular here doesn’t matter in the real world.”

Eva scowled and stomped out of the bathroom.

I giggled. “Nice.”

Nora shrugged. “Well, she deserves it. She thinks she’s so much better than everyone else. What she really deserves is to get knocked on her ass. I just wish I could be the one to do it. But hey, you know that code of honor thing-a-ma-jig.”

One of the principle rules of karate is that you can only use it for self-defense. Ever since Nora joined the class, she‘s stopped getting into fights. I’m sure it‘s been challenging for her.

I nodded in agreement and picked up my backpack.

“You sick?” she asked, running her fingers through her long, black hair. Streaks of bright blue framed her pale face. I imagined without the heavy Goth makeup, dyed hair, and various piercings, she might look like the girl next door.

“No. Not yet, anyway.”

Nora threw her head back and laughed. She knew about my phobia. “That must drive you insane; being around these germy bastards. I’m not sick yet either, but my old man is.”

Nora normally lives with her dad, Ivan Biggs, who’s a guitarist for Death Row, a popular rock band. Unfortunately, he’s on tour in Europe right now, so she sees very little of him. Instead she stays with her grandmother, Iris, who has some kind of dementia and is frightened of leaving her house. She can’t even take a step outside she’s so scared of something awful happening to her.

“I heard almost everyone is sick in Europe.”

“Yeah, he’s in Germany right now. They’ve all been getting vaccinated. I don’t know what the big deal is, it’s just the flu. Tell you one thing; nobody’s giving me a shot. My old man isn’t around to sign the sheet and I would rather take a week off from this crap-hole. What about you?”

I cleared my throat. “Well, I won’t be getting the shot, either. My family never gets flu shots.”

Nora jaw dropped. “No shit? With you being so paranoid about germs and your mom being a Daycare Lady, I thought you‘d have gotten your shots for next year’s flu season by now.”

I stared at her. “Um…I’m not that paranoid.”

She snorted. “Whatever, Wild. Listen, I’ll see you at karate class later.”

I watched as she strutted out of the bathroom in her heavy black boots and then looked in the mirror. I’m not paranoid, I reminded myself, just very cautious...

3

My stomach was growling by the end of the day, so on the way to karate class, I stopped by a McDonald’s drive-thru and ordered a cheeseburger, extra pickles. As I handed the cashier the money, she sneezed all over the bag without apologizing. As horrified as I was, I held my tongue and choked down the food; I was that hungry.

It was just after four o’clock by the time I made it to the dojo. Nora and Scott were already there, joking around and stretching out. I thought back to my dream where Scott had turned into a zombie, killed my neighbor’s dog, and viciously attacked me. Fortunately, his skin was clear and his green eyes were as lively as ever. He caught me staring at him and smiled curiously.

“Wow, small class today,” stated our instructor, Master Jordan, as he entered the room. He’s a sixth-degree Black Belt and has trained for over eighteen years.

“Everyone must be sick,” replied Scott. I noticed he’d gotten a crew cut, which didn’t surprise me because I knew he had plans to join the military after graduation. We’d been really good friends for the last two years, and although we’d gone out on a few dates, both of us agreed that we were more comfortable in a platonic relationship.

Master Jordan sighed. “Well,” he replied, rubbing his chin. “Since it‘s such a small class, why don’t we just practice sparring?”

All three of us loved to spar, so we naturally agreed. I quickly stretched out and then suited up in my dark gray sparring gear, which consisted of a helmet as well as mouth, shin, foot, and chest guards.

“Nora, you and Scott will partner up. Cassie, you’ll be sparring with Bryce De Luca. He should be arriving any minute.”

I removed my mouth guard. “Who’s Bryce De Luca?” I asked.

He smiled. “Bryce is a new instructor from our Hugo location. They’ve shut down because of the flu.”

I glanced through the large window facing the parking lot just as a guy in a weathered leather jacket pulled up on a motorcycle. He removed his helmet, ran his fingers through his wavy black hair, then hurried inside carrying a sports bag.

Master Jordan patted him on the back. “De Luca! I was starting to get worried about you.”

Bryce was tall with intense blue eyes. When he smiled, his dimples heated my insides.

“Sorry, the traffic was bad. If you‘ll excuse me for a minute, I just need to change,” he replied.

“No problem,” said Master Jordan.

I stole another glance as Bryce walked toward the bathroom. He was just as interesting to look at from behind.

Nora strolled by me casually, a smirk on her face. “Hey… wipe your mouth, there‘s drool,” she teased.

My cheeks burned. “Whatever,” I mumbled turning away from her.

When Bryce stepped out of the bathroom, Master Jordan motioned him over to where I was warming up. He stood several inches taller than me, had broad shoulders, and lean, muscular arms. Intricate tattoos of dragons peeked out from under his black sleeves. He caught me staring and rolled up his sleeves to show more.

“Very cool,” I said, admiring the details of the dragon’s scales, face, and fiery breath.

“Listen, Bryce, after you warm up, I’m going to have you practice sparring with Cassandra Wild here. She just received her Black Belt last week.”

He nodded with approval. “Congratulations, Cassandra, you should be proud of yourself.”

“Um, thanks,” I replied, trying not to blush. His belt reflected that he was a third-degree Black Belt and I prayed that I wouldn’t embarrass myself by forgetting anything I’d learned up to that point.

Bryce looked at my instructor. “I can’t tell you how relieved I was when I found out you were open today. I have a tournament next weekend and really need to practice.”

“After this class, stick around and I’ll practice atemi with you,” replied Master Jordan. “I’ve heard you’ve pretty much mastered it.”

Bryce shrugged. “Yeah, I have to admit… I’ve got a pretty good grasp of it but could always use more practice. I’d appreciate it.”

Atemi is an advanced type of martial arts technique that involves blows to different areas of the body to break an opponent’s concentration or balance. I had personally never used it, but Master Jordan promised to incorporate it into my training this summer, especially if I was interested in entering the more advanced tournaments.

“That’s what I’m here for. Just remind me after class.”

Bryce nodded and then turned back to me, studying my face. “Cassandra Wild, huh? You know, I don’t recall seeing you at any of the tournaments.”

I shook my head. “You probably haven’t. It’s been awhile since I’ve competed. Now that I’m a Black Belt, though, that’ll probably change.”

“Great. You’d be a good distraction for some of my opponents.”

I didn’t know how to respond to that, so I just smiled.

“Okay, you two. Better get going, time’s-a-wasting,” said Master Jordan. “Bryce, if you could work with Cassie on some of her kicks? She may need a little encouragement keeping those legs high up in the air.”

I just wanted to fade away when I noticed Bryce’s devilish grin.

“You know, I’m just going to let that one go,” he replied softly. Unfortunately, it wasn’t soft enough because Nora snorted from across the room, and oh how I wanted to punch her.

“Keep it clean, De Luca,” said Master Jordan. “You don’t want to mess with that one, her kicks are lethal.”

He chuckled. “Sounds like an interesting challenge.”

“Well, don’t say I didn’t warn you, buddy,” replied Master Jordan. He then winked at me and stepped into his office.

Bryce must have thought I was anxious about sparring with someone more advanced, which wasn’t really the case. It was the way he looked at me that started my heart pounding madly in my chest.

“Hey, Cassandra, I was just kidding. I’ll go easy on you,” said Bryce.

“No, don’t. I can handle it,” I replied breathlessly.

His piercing blue eyes met mine. “Look, I don’t want to hurt you. I’m obviously twice your size and much farther along in my training. You don’t have a chance against someone as formidable as me.”

My fantasy of him being a total Adonis crumbled, and I stared at him in amazement, wondering if he was for real. I cleared my throat. “You’re serious? You think I’m not going to be challenging enough for you?” I asked.

“Most women aren’t,” he stated confidently.

His arrogance irritated me. I’d worked hard on earning my Belt and prided myself on being just as good if not better than many of the guys in my class. Chauvinism was something I simply had no tolerance for. I stomped out the small fire he’d created in my stomach and ignored how cute his butt looked in his uniform. “Well, I think the only thing you should go easy on is your own ego.”

He gave me a surprised look then chuckled.    “Ouch. Man… you are a little wild one, aren’t you?”

You’re going to soon find out, I thought as I put on my helmet and mouth guard.

Bryce took his time putting on his own gear, glancing at me occasionally with a wry smile. I refused to let him bother me, though. I couldn’t wait to wipe the cocky grin from his face.

“Ready yet?” I snapped impatiently.

“Oh, I’m ready alright. The question is, are you ready for me, Wild?” he replied, jumping fluidly to his feet. I had to admit, with his height and combat gear in place, he was intimidating.

“I’ve been ready. And by the way, I prefer to be called Cassie.”

He laughed at that, adding more fuel to the fire. I pushed aside my anxiety and let his irritating personality feed my adrenaline. We tapped gloves and I charged after him before he had a chance to study my fighting style. I started with a burst of fast charges and strikes, which took him a little by surprise. I bit my lip to keep from smirking as I circled around Bryce, waiting for his move.

Bryce nodded his approval then came at me with a roundhouse kick, which I quickly blocked and countered with a couple of moves that would show him how challenging I could be. I jumped up and did a combination roundhouse with an ax-kick. I swiftly followed that move with a hard side thrust kick. This time I couldn’t hide my satisfied grin when I heard him grunt.

“Okay, not bad,” he said.

“Told you,” said Master Jordan, who was now standing outside of his office, watching us. “She may have just gotten her Black Belt, but she’s always been a natural martial artist. Her strikes are quick and solid.”

I opened my eyes innocently. “Bryce, next time don’t hold back. Give me all you’ve got. Or aren’t you man enough?”

He gave me a crooked smile and opened his mouth to respond when Master Jordan interrupted. “Like I said, keep it clean over there, Mr. De Luca. She‘s a minor.”

“I’ll be eighteen next month,” I countered.

Bryce stared at me for a moment, his face crestfallen. “Sorry,” he said. “I thought you were older.”

“So?” I shrugged. “What does that have to do with anything?”

He frowned and took a sip of water. “Forget about it,” he said. “Let’s just keep practicing.”

We spent the rest of the time practicing front, roundhouse, and tornado kicks. I could tell that Bryce still wasn’t being as aggressive as he could have been, but by the end of the class, both of us were sweating and out of breath. When we were finished, he removed his helmet and wiped his forehead with a towel.

“Wow, I’m really impressed,” he said. “You snap those kicks quickly and your balance is right on. Plus, I haven’t met that many other opponents with as much power in their roundhouse kicks as you.”

“So I was a little bit of a challenge? Even for a girl?” I asked.

His smile fell away. “For anyone. Cassie, I’m sorry for sounding like a complete ass earlier. You obviously put me in line.”

“You weren’t a complete ass,” I said dryly.

He bit back a smile. “Really, I’m not such a bad guy once you get to know me.”

I shrugged. “If you say so…”

“Well, I’ll be back tomorrow evening, if you want to stop in and practice again.”

“I’m not sure if I’ll be here tomorrow, but thanks.” I replied, removing my chest plate.

“Okay, well maybe I’ll see you around.”

I nodded. “Sure. Good luck with your next tournament.”

“Thanks.”

I grabbed my gym bag and started stuffing my sparring gear into it. Mae, Master Jordan’s girlfriend, walked over and congratulated me on getting my Black Belt.

“Thanks,” I said.

As usual, her makeup was flawless and she was dressed like she’d just stepped out of a fashion magazine. Her exotic Asian eyes glinted with amusement.

She motioned toward Bryce. “So… you like that boy?”

“What?” I shook my head vehemently. “No… he’s just an instructor.”

I could tell by her expression that she didn’t totally believe me. Neither did I for that matter.

“Cassie, you… very pretty girl. You should let me shape your eyebrows and give you manicure. I will do it, no charge. Men like beautiful nails and tidy eyebrows.” Mae owns the nail shop in the same mini-mall as the karate studio.

“Oh, no… that’s okay, Mae,” I replied, now feeling self-conscious about my eyebrows. I realized my nails were a lost cause, but I thought I’d done a pretty decent job plucking my own eyebrows.

She unexpectedly grabbed my hand and looked at my nails. “No. You come and let me do this for you. Your nails are… ugly. This is my treat for earning your Black Belt. Tomorrow night?”

Embarrassed and defeated, I accepted her offer. “Um, okay. Thank you?”

Master Jordan joined us and put his arms around her. “Better listen to Mae. She won’t accept NO for an answer.”

“Either do you,” she replied firmly.

“What can I say, Mae? I didn’t want you to miss out on having such a great guy. Besides, you know you couldn’t resist me. You finally said yes.” He was actually pretty good looking for someone in their thirties. Blond hair, blue eyes, and kicking body, he kind of reminded me of the late Paul Walker, from the “Fast and The Furious.”

She chuckled. “I gave in so you’d stop embarrassing me at my shop. How many times a week did you ask for both pedicure and date?”

“I thought you liked massaging my feet?”

She looked down at his feet. “I got tired of looking at your corns.”

Master Jordan’s face fell, but I could tell he was amused. “Corns? Mae, you’re killing me!”

Mae and I burst out laughing. She then grabbed him around the waist and dragged him away while he pretended to pout.

I walked through the locker room and into the entryway, where Nora was standing. “So, that new instructor was smoking hot,” she said. “Did you get his number?”

I scowled. “No! Are you kidding? He’s an instructor. Besides, he’s kind of annoying.”

She smiled. “Well as annoying as he was, he certainly couldn’t keep his eyes off of you.”

I rolled my eyes. “That’s because we were sparring, Nora.”

She shook her head. “No, it was more than that.”

Her words pleased me, though. I was a little intrigued with him; there was no denying that. But he was an instructor and too arrogant for my tastes.

“You need a ride home?” I asked her.

“No, Scott’s going to give me a lift.” This time Nora’s cheeks turned bright pink. “It’s no big deal. I guess he doesn’t live far from my grandma’s. Anyway, I was wondering if you’d want to hang out this weekend? My dad sent a copy of his latest CD. We could listen to it and order a pizza or something. If you don‘t have anything else going on?”

That was surprising. “I might be able to Saturday night. I’ll call you.”

Just then Scott walked up and hip-checked me. “Hey, girl, you ready for prom?”

“Almost,” I replied.

Nora’s face fell. “You guys are going to the prom together?”

“Just as friends!” we both said at the same time.

Her face brightened immediately. “Oh, well that’s cool! Have fun.”

“You’re not going?” Scott asked Nora.

She shook her head and began picking at lint on her karate uniform.

“Well, why not?” he asked.

Nora sighed and lifted her arms up. “Are you kidding me? Could you picture me at prom?”

“Actually, yes I could. I’m kind of shocked that nobody asked you,” replied Scott.

Nora rolled her eyes. “Don’t be. It really isn’t my thing anyway. Look, we’d better get going. I have to check on Grams, make sure she’s okay.”

“No problem,” said Scott. He turned to me. “I’ll talk to you at school tomorrow.”

“Bye, you guys,” I said. “I’ll catch you tomorrow, Nora.”

She nodded and I watched as they left together. When he opened the passenger door for her, she appeared surprised, then flashed him one of her rare smiles. It suddenly all made sense to me; Nora was totally into Scott, and seeing the way Scott responded to Nora, he probably felt the same way.

4

When I picked up Allie from her dance class, she was unusually quiet.

“Is everything okay?” I asked her.

“Yeah,” she replied, laying her blond head back against the seat. Normally she was a chatterbox, so I knew something was bothering her.

I turned down my radio. “Spill it… what’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong.”

Allie and I didn‘t always get along, but she was still my little sister and I didn’t like seeing her glum. “Okay. But if you need my advice on anything…”

She let out a dramatic sigh. “Well, if you really want to know…” Then she rambled on about some boy she had a crush on at school. Apparently he teased her in front of everyone, completely humiliating her. “He actually said I was high maintenance!”

It took all my will to hold back my smile. Obviously he knew Allie pretty well. “Listen, boys your age are clueless. Forget about him and focus on something else, like getting good grades, or hanging out with your friends. In a couple of years, the guys will be following you around like puppy dogs.” It was true, with her blond hair, blue eyes, and radiant smile, she had absolutely nothing to worry about.

“You sound just like mom,” she pouted.

I cringed, although I agreed with my mother on this one. “Well this time she’s right.”

Allie fell silent again and took out her cell phone. A minute later she was on the phone with Kylie, Paige’s younger sister. They were close friends. They chatted for a few minutes, making plans for the weekend. When she hung up, she was her usual upbeat self.

“Kylie wants to see a movie this weekend and have a sleepover.”

“That sounds like fun,” I replied.

Allie‘s eyes lit up. “Hey, you should come over, too. We could order a pizza and swim in the indoor pool at night. It‘s so cool.”

Paige and Kylie’s mother, Kristie, just recently married this rich guy named Dan. He owned several restaurants in the area and they now lived in a huge mansion with two swimming pools, a tennis court, and a shooting range. Allie spent more time there than she did at home.

I narrowed my eyes. “Kristie is going to be gone? That could lead to trouble.”

“What do you mean?” she asked, looking cross.

Kylie was a nice girl, but she tended to attract trouble, even when she wasn’t looking for it. My mom said Kylie reminded her exactly of Kristie when she was little. Our moms had played together as children, and I guess Kristie had been a real hell-raiser growing up. Frankly, she was still pretty feisty and you never know what she’ll say or do next. Kylie had the same fiery spirit as her mom and it had gotten both Allie and herself in trouble in the past.

“Forget about it. Well, it sounds interesting, but I promised Nora I’d hang out with her Saturday night. She‘s depressed about her dad being away. She lost her driver’s license a few months ago and doesn‘t have many friends.”

“Nora? Awesome, invite her, too! I’m sure Paige will be fine with that.”

I snorted. “Unlikely. Nora scares the crap out of most people. I can’t imagine Paige being thrilled about her coming over.”

“Just check,” Allie pleaded. “It would be so much fun! I haven’t been to a real slumber-party in ages. It’s usually just me and Kylie.”

Shrugging, I said, “I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to ask.”

“It’s going to be so much fun!” my sister replied all giddy. She turned on the radio and started singing and bouncing around to the music. “Hey, it’s your song!” Ironically titled, “Wild Ones” by Flo Rida, she was always playing it for me on her iPod.

“Allie, don’t forget to check with mom, too!” I yelled over the music.

She nodded, then leaned over and gave me an unexpected kiss on the cheek. Unlike me, she wasn’t shy about showing affection to anyone. “I get to hang out with my sister,” she sang. “The Wild One!”

I smiled at her. Allie was growing up quickly, but to me, she’d always be the mischievous imp dancing around in her crooked tiara and Little Mermaid gown.

***

Later that night, when my mother read the information about the flu shot, she was furious. She crumpled up the permission sheet and tossed it into the garbage. “It’s ridiculous. They can’t enforce this. I’m calling the school.”

I rolled my eyes. “Mom there’s nothing you can do. Maybe we should just get the stupid shot.”

Mom put her hands on her hips. “Are you kidding me? Absolutely not! Did you notice how our family hasn’t come down with anything yet? It’s because we don’t get those stupid flu shots. If we did, we’d probably be as sick as everyone else.”

“Sorry…” I mumbled.

Allie pouted. “Mom, I have to go to school. There’s a major test next week.” I also knew she didn’t want to be away from her friends or the guy she was crushing on.

Mom put her arm around Allie‘s shoulders. “Don’t worry about it, sweetie. I’ll make some calls and get this taken care of.”

I got up off the couch and stretched. “Well, if I can’t go to school, I’m definitely not hanging around Daycare Central,” I said.

“I’m sure you’ll find something to do. Otherwise you can run some errands for me, like picking up your prom dress.”

Although I wasn’t thrilled about wearing a dress, my mother had helped me choose one that I actually liked; a strapless, coral-colored chiffon gown that made my waist look smaller and my skin look tan.

After dinner, as my mom disinfected the daycare area of the house, I took a shower, then retreated to my bedroom and turned on the television. There were news reports on every channel covering the flu epidemic. On channel eleven, Eva King’s mother, Veronica, was interviewing a spokesperson from the Centers for Disease Control Prevention (C.D.C). I actually like Eva’s mother, who’d I met back in grade school at a birthday party. Although she was somewhat of a celebrity, she never once acted snooty or cold. In fact, she was really sweet to everyone, unlike her daughter.

Veronica definitely wasn’t herself today; she looked sick and miserable. Her normally tan face was pale, her nose bright red, and her blue eyes watery. Usually she looked so professional, with no red curl out of place.

“This is Veronica King, and if you’re just tuning in, I have Dr. William Blake from the Centers for Disease Control on satellite. We‘ve been discussing this new flu virus that people are referring to as ‘The Creeper’, because it starts out slow and then hits its victim pretty hard. Does that about sum it up, Doctor?”

“Correct,” replied Dr. Blake stiffly. He was over fifty, slim, with little round glasses and wispy grey hair that didn’t quite cover the bald spot.

“Thank you again for joining us, Doctor. As I mentioned, this virus has been spreading at an alarming rate. It’s affected the entire country,” she croaked and then cleared her throat. ”Excuse me. I mean the entire world. The big question tonight is, how do we control this growing epidemic?”

“That’s easy, Ms. King, we control it by making wise decisions; like getting vaccinated. It’s imperative, especially for our elderly and small children.”

Veronica’s eyes narrowed. “And you stand behind this vaccine one hundred percent? Earlier we heard from other medical experts stating that they don’t feel the vaccine is having a significant enough effect on this particular virus. Millions of people have still contracted severe flu symptoms even after getting vaccinated. Emergency rooms have been flooded and can’t even care for their patients properly. They’ve had to turn people away. Let me ask you this, is the CDC working on improving the current vaccine?”

Dr. Blake cleared his throat. “Yes, well, our scientists are working around the clock to evaluate and improve the current vaccine. But, these things still take a considerable amount of time. I cannot stress enough, however, how important it is to get the current vaccine that is available right now.”

Frowning, she replied, “What’s the point if it doesn’t seem to be working? What about those people who’ve been hospitalized? Countless numbers of patients who’ve slipped into comas; reports indicate they‘d all received the vaccination.”

Dr. Blake smiled smugly. “I can assure you that if they hadn’t been vaccinated, they would have probably perished. We are quite confident that the vaccine has lessened the symptoms and has saved many lives thus far.”

She released a heavy sigh. “Well, I hope you’re right. One last thing… there have been accusations from certain leaders of the United Nations, claiming the virus was created by terrorists, specifically targeting countries the U.S. supports. What are your views on this?”

He laughed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Utter nonsense. Come on, a terrorist virus? It’s just another strain of the seasonal flu. In a week or two we‘ll have a more powerful vaccine available to the public and this won’t seem like such a crisis. It‘s just the flu, nothing more.”

Veronica sniffled and grabbed a tissue. “Excuse me.” She dabbed at her nose then smiled weakly. “A flu virus on… steroids?”

“If that’s what you want to call it.”

“Okay. Thank you for joining us tonight, Dr. Blake. This is Veronica King with WCCL, reminding everyone to keep taking your vitamins and stock up on tissues.”

I sighed and turned off the television, relieved that it was Friday and I’d have a short hiatus from school.

There was a soft knock on my door and then my mother peeked in. “Cassie, Paige is on the phone,” she said.

“Wow… nice look, mom,” I snorted. Pieces of brown hair stuck out of a plastic cap and her face was covered with thick, green slime.

She smiled and patted her head. “Oh, you like this?”

“It‘s awesome. Dad‘s going to love it, seriously.”

Her hazel eyes sparkled with amusement. “You think? Your dad and I are going to a party this weekend and I’d hate to embarrass him.”

“He‘ll be the envy of all the other guys with you on his arm.”

She left and I could hear her giggling all the way down the hall.

I picked up the phone. “Hi.”

“Hi, Cassie.”

“So I heard about the slumber-party.”

“Yeah, but unfortunately I made plans with Nora for Saturday night.”

“Well, do you think she’d want to hang out with all of us? I don’t have any plans yet for this weekend and my folks are going out. As long as she behaves herself, we should have fun.”

I cracked up. “Honestly, Nora’s not that bad. She told Eva King off in the bathroom earlier today. It was awesome! You both might have more in common than you think.”

“Really? Well, in that case, she‘s definitely invited. Let me know what she says.”

After I hung up with Paige, I called Nora to find out if she’d be willing to go to Paige’s Saturday night. Fortunately, she liked the idea.

“So she has a swimming pool? That sounds cool. I’ll hang,” said Nora.

“Okay. I’ll let Paige know.”

“Sweet! See you in school on Monday.”

I hung up right as Allie rushed into my room.

“Excuse me? Knock before you enter,” I said.

Her eyes were large. “Oh, my God… you have to watch the news! Some hospital in France was attacked by a bunch of crazy patients. I guess they were acting like cannibals, eating each other’s flesh! Can you believe it? How gross is that?”

I made a face. “Really?”

We turned on the television. Sure enough, every channel was reporting about the incident. On one station, an anchorman stood outside of the French hospital where their local police surrounded the building.

“So far, there have been reports of at least fifty fatalities during this bizarre attack. The building has now been secured and everything seems to be under control. At least ten people have been arrested and detained; all were patients who were being treated in the hospital when this madness occurred. We’ll have more updates for you in just a minute.”

“Okay, that’s enough,” I said, turning off the television. “I don’t want to hear any more. This stuff gives me nightmares, so if you want to watch the news, do it in your room.”

Allie blew on her freshly painted nails. “No, that’s okay. It’s too freaky for me to watch, too. Anyway… did you talk to Nora yet about Saturday?”

“Yes, she’s interested,” I said, picking up my iPod.

“Cool. I like Nora and I really love her tattoo.”

Nora had several tattoos, but the one Allie was referring to was of a small fairy on the back of her neck. A blue fairy covered in chainmail that was scowling and stood ready to kick ass.

I looked at my sister in surprise, as far as I could remember, she’d always been a girly-girl. “Isn’t that a little dark for your tastes?”

She looked at me like I was an alien. “No. In fact I’m going to see if I can get my nose pierced for my birthday this year.”

I snorted. “Good luck with that. I’d like to see dad’s expression when you run it by him.”

She put her hands on her waist and scowled. “Mom will let me.”

“Right…”

Allie mumbled something and then left the room.

Tweens, I thought. They think they know everything.

5

I woke up Tuesday morning without Jed sneaking up on me or any remnants of a nightmare where someone was trying to eat my brains. When I made it to the bathroom without any kids charging after me, I had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. The house was so unnaturally quiet that it put me on edge and I just couldn’t enjoy it.

When I made it to the kitchen, my dad was eating and reading the paper.

“Well, this is kind of a nice change,” commented my dad as he finished a bowl of cereal. Normally he brought his breakfast downstairs to his Man Cave.

“Nice? It’s weird. Megan is the only one here and it’s too quiet,” I answered.

“I’ll take the weird and quiet any day,” he said then glanced at his watch. “Shoot, I’m running late. Bye, sweetheart.” He stood up and kissed the top of my head.

“See you later, dad.”

Just then two-year-old Megan came barreling into the kitchen, giggling. “Hi, Cassie!” she shouted.

“Hi, Megan,” I answered as she flung herself at me, wrapping her arms tightly around my legs. We’d watched her since she was a baby and I had to admit, she held a special place in my heart.

I kneeled down and tugged her hair. “Oh… your hair looks so cute today!” Her short blond hair was pulled tightly into two little ponytails. She touched them proudly and smiled with her big doe eyes.

“Where Jed?” she asked.

I poked her playfully in the tummy. “Don’t know.”

She giggled and then asked, “Where Daniel?”

“Don’t know,” I said, this time tickling her.

She laughed hysterically as I continued to tickle her. When she’d had enough, I put her on my lap and she asked about the remaining daycare kids.

I sighed. “Sorry, I really don’t know. I think most of them are sick and stayed home with their mommies to get better.”

Just then my mom walked into the kitchen and informed me that everyone was sick with the flu. Except for Megan and her mother, Sara, who was six months pregnant.

“Thank God Sara’s not sick with this virus,” I replied.

“And she’s not getting that vaccination, either. I talked her out of it,” declared my mom proudly.

“Daddy sick,” Megan said, matter-of-factly. She then raced back into the toy area.

“Oh. Well hopefully he doesn’t get either of them sick,” I said.

“I heard that Kevin is just miserable and wants her to stay away from him. I told Sara she could stay here if she wanted to, since her folks live a couple of hours away, and she still has to work. At least until after Megan’s dad gets better. But she declined. She just doesn’t want to impose. Plus, she really wants to take care of him.”

“Oh,” I said. I looked at my mom’s hair. It looked pretty with the new highlights. “Your hair looks nice, mom.”

She smiled at me. “Thanks, honey.”

“And have you lost some weight?” I asked.

“Maybe a little,” she replied, looking down. “I haven’t had time to eat much this week with all of the kids being sick. I’m actually relieved that most of them are gone today.”

“So am I,” I replied. When the kids were here, my germ phobia was on high alert. Lately, it’s begun to recede.

My mom turned on the small television sitting on the kitchen counter. She poured herself a cup of coffee and began flipping through the channels.

“I’m going to karate class again tonight, mom,” I told her.

“Um?” she replied, not really paying attention.

I raised my voice. “I said, I won’t be home until after eight this evening. I’m getting a free manicure from Mae and then I’m going to karate.”

She turned to me and put her arm around my shoulder. “I’m sorry, honey. I wasn’t trying to ignore you. I was just trying to see if there are any updates about the crisis in Europe.”

I grabbed a fresh blueberry muffin that was sitting on the stove. “Crisis? Are you talking about that attack at the French hospital?”

She took a sip of coffee. “Well, there’s been a string of violence and rioting in other countries as well. France, Germany, Italy, everywhere. It’s kind of crazy.”

“Are they terrorist attacks?”

“That’s the thing... nobody is really sure who is doing it or why it keeps happening. The government isn’t releasing any information and the media is bewildered. It’s just really… bizarre.”

“Well, I’m sure it will all blow over,” I answered, dismissing it. To me it seemed that violence was pretty normal all over the world at any given moment.

She shrugged and then turned off the television. “Could you pick up Allie tonight at Kylie’s? They are working on some science project. That way her mom won’t have to drive her home.”

“Fine, but it won’t be until after eight o’clock.”

“That’s fine. I’ll let them know. Thanks, honey.”

***

My truck sputtered to life and then made some weird puttering noises as I drove over to Paige’s house. When she got in to the truck, she looked at me nervously.

“Are you sure we’re going to make it to school in this rig? It sounds pretty bad.”

I raised my eyebrows and lied through my teeth. “Ye of little faith… of course I’m sure!”

“Well…okay.”

“You worry too much, Paige.”

She shrugged and then her eyes became really round. “I forgot to tell you! Guess what?”

“What?” I asked.

“My mom got a tattoo on her lower back! A butterfly tattoo.”

I smiled. “Your mom got a ‘tramp stamp’?”

That’s what some of the guys at school liked to call lower back tattoos.

She nodded. “Oh, my God… yes! Dan made her do it.”

“I’m sure your mom had some say.”

Kristie wasn’t exactly what I’d call a pushover. She had a sharp tongue and the body of an amazon to back it up.

“I don’t know, but if she starts getting piercings on odd places of her body, I’m not sticking around.”

I burst out laughing, trying to imagine Kristie with a tongue ring and a new lisp.

“It’s not funny,” said Paige, trying to stop the smile threatening her lips.

My eyes were watering I was laughing so hard. “Oh, come on. It’s funny!”

She folded her hands across her chest. “Okay, think about your mom getting her nose pierced or something further south.”

I grimaced. “Okay, that’s totally not funny.”

The truck made some weird snorting noise and we both looked worriedly at each other.

“Just please… get us to school,” begged Paige.

I nodded and we drove in a nervous silence. Miraculously, we made it with minutes to spare.

“Great, it’s Eva,” I muttered, watching as her red car pulled up next to ours. To make matters worse, my truck backfired as she was sliding out of her car.

Eva ignored us completely, which was a pleasant surprise to us both. The way she was blowing her nose made it obvious as to why.

The entire school day was pretty much uneventful, although there were even less students than yesterday. Many brought signed permission slips, and the line leading to the gymnasium, where the shots were being administered, was never-ending.

Because I wasn’t getting any kind of vaccination, I did what I could to avoid getting sick by sucking on vitamin C lozenges throughout the day and drinking bottled green tea. When the final bell of the day rang, we were almost the last vehicle in the parking lot and someone had to give us a jump.

“See you tomorrow?” I asked Paige.

“I might get a ride from Jeremy,” she answered. “Call me if you want one as well.”

I nodded, hoping that my truck would hold up a few more days. It was probably time to talk to my dad about getting it fixed.

When I arrived at the nail shop, Mae greeted me with open arms then stared at my eyebrows with disapproval.

“Eyebrows first,” she announced and then dragged me to the back of the shop where she pushed me into a high-backed leather chair. She reclined it until I was looking straight up at her. Taking a small eyebrow comb, she brushed my eyebrows then carefully spread something warm above my eyelids.

“Wax,” she murmured staring intently at my unruly eyebrows.

“Oh.”

“Relax,” she demanded, pressing firmly down on them. I closed my eyes and she ripped away a strip of eyebrow hair.

“Ahhh!” I gasped.

She gave me a wry smile. “Not that bad.”

When Mae spread wax above my other eye, I grasped onto the arms of the chair and waited as she counted.

“One, two…” and then she tore it off.

I flinched and looked up at her. “Hey! What happened to three?”

She patted my arm and laughed. “Better this way. Hair comes out easier when you don’t tense up.”

Mae then picked up the tweezers and began plucking away. When she appeared satisfied with the results, she applied some kind of gel that immediately soothed my irritated skin. She handed me a mirror; my skin was bright pink above my eyes, but I had to admit, my brows definitely looked more sophisticated. I grinned and nodded my approval.

“No more bushes,” she stated proudly.

“Yes, thank you.”

Next, Mae took me over to a nail technician.

“This Ming,” she said and turned to the young girl. “French nails. Sports length.”

Ming nodded and gave then me a sympathetic look as she examined my nails.

“Pretty bad, huh?” I asked.

She shrugged and then began transforming my stubby nails into something less pathetic. Forty-five minutes later, after thanking Mae profusely, I left the shop, unable to stop staring at my new French manicure. My fingertips had never looked so clean and white.

6

I was ravenous when I left Mae’s shop, but there wasn’t enough time to stop anywhere for food. I remembered a vending machine in the karate studio, so I scrounged around in my purse and found some loose change.

The studio was located in the same mini-mall, just two doors down from the nail shop. As I stopped by my truck to grab my sports bag, I noticed Bryce’s motorcycle parked nearby, and the butterflies in my stomach began to flutter. I took a deep breath and walked through the door.

The front viewing room was unoccupied, the receptionist gone, but the vending machine was full, luckily, with one of my favorite snacks. I purchased a bag of dill pickle potato chips and washed it down with a bottle of water. Knowing I was alone, I released a silent burp but then panicked; my breath was horrible! I scrounged around in my jeans and found enough money for a pack of mints. At least I wouldn’t be attacking anyone with my rancid breath.

Slipping into the locker room, I brushed my hair back into a ponytail, applied some mascara, and put on some lip gloss that my sister had given me last night. With my new eyebrows, I had to admit I looked pretty darn good.

Glancing at the time, I noticed that I was running late, so I rushed to put on my uniform. I tied my belt quickly and then respectfully entered the dojo.

Bryce and Scott were off in a corner practicing with Bokkens, wooden Samurai training swords. I caught Bryce’s eye briefly as he leaped over Scott’s Bokken, and counter-attacked. My heart raced as I watched them swinging, jumping, and striking at each other so sinuously. Although I could see that both guys were extremely talented with their Bokkens, there was no denying that Bryce was the expert.

When they finished up, Scott greeted me with a warm smile while Bryce barely acknowledged my presence, offering only a curt nod as he put his equipment away. It was unnerving, especially after the way he’d teased me only the day before.

“Cassie,” said Scott, kneeling next to me while I stretched my legs. “I’ve been meaning to ask you… what do you think of Nora?”

I’d completely forgotten about Nora. “Nora? Where is she? She was supposed to be here.” Come to think about it, I hadn’t remembered seeing her at school earlier in the day either.

He ran a hand over his face and sighed. “Well, I went to pick her up earlier and she was upset. She can’t get in touch with her dad, doesn’t know exactly which city he’s in, and with the violence going on in Germany, she’s really freaking out. She stayed home with her grandmother to comfort her and find out what’s going on.”

I stood up quickly. “Oh, shoot! Maybe I should give her a call and see if I can help somehow.”

Scott shook his head and laughed wryly. “I doubt she’ll be very receptive. I tried sticking around to see if I could help, but she basically told me to ‘get lost.’”

I sighed. “I’m sure she’s just upset.”

“Tell me about it. Anyway, that’s why I wanted to ask you about her. I really don’t know her aside from this class. It seems to me that she comes around as some kind of tough ass most of the time. She has this prickly wall around her. Then other times she throws me for a loop by acting normal, almost sweet. I think she actually flirted with me yesterday.”

I smiled. “Maybe she likes you?”

He snorted. “Well, she has a strange way of showing it.”

“Seriously, Scott, I know very little about her myself. She hasn’t made many friends at school; she either scares people away or just blows them off. To tell you the truth, I was shocked when she asked me to hang out with her this weekend.”

Just then Bryce stormed over, interrupting us. “Hey?”

“Yes?” I answered.

He studied my face for a minute. “You two going to sit here and waste time, or did you actually want to learn something today?”

His rudeness surprised and irritated me. I glared at him. “Sure, but who put you in charge?”

Bryce put his hands on his waist. “Excuse me? That’s no way to talk to an instructor, Wild,” he answered gruffly.

“Respect is earned,” I countered.

A muscle twitched in his jaw as we stared at each other. Before I had a chance to catch my breath, he stalked away.

I looked at Scott. “What crawled up his butt?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know. He was fine earlier.”

I glanced toward Bryce, who was now on his cell phone. From the expression on his face, he was in the middle of a very heated discussion.

Master Jordan took that moment to step out of his office, up-beat as usual.

“Hi, guys! Listen, Bryce is going to assist you tonight with training. I promised Mae I’d take her to dinner tonight.”

I released a heavy sigh. “Great.”

Master Jordan took my arm and pulled me aside. “What is it? Is Bryce giving you any trouble?”

I shook my head. “Not really, he’s just… grouchy.”

He scratched his closely-cropped beard and said, “Well, I came down hard on him this afternoon for his performance yesterday. This is a respectable karate studio, not a dating service.”

I looked at him blankly. “What do you mean?”

“Come on, I heard the way he was flirting with you yesterday.”

Embarrassed, I lowered my eyes. “Oh.”

He touched my shoulder. “Cassie, if he gives you any trouble, let me know right away. Call me, text me, whatever you have to do. But sincerely, I don’t think you have to worry about him; he really is a decent guy. He just needed a little reminder of whom and what he’s representing here at the studio.”

“Well, don’t worry about me. I can certainly take care of myself.”

Secretly I hadn’t minded the banter between us yesterday. In fact, his taunting blue eyes were all I’d thought about since then. It was one of the reasons I’d showed up today.

“By the way,” Master Jordan said as he lifted my hands and examined my fingertips, “your nails look very lovely… for a killing machine.”

I giggled. “Thank you, Sensei.”

“Now, my dear Cassie, I think they’re waiting for you,” he said, releasing my hands and turning me around.

Bryce avoided eye contact, which made me even more irritated. I hadn’t done anything to deserve his cruel attitude today.

“See you guys next week!” waved Master Jordan as he walked out of the studio.

As I waved, I caught Bryce staring at me again. He looked away and took a drink of water.

“Ready, guys?” he asked finally. Then he had us form a line to do several push-ups and sit-ups.

The next half hour we practiced several difficult kicks and punches which I normally enjoy. Today it was pure hell. Bryce was so intolerable that even Scott noticed and started getting frustrated.

“Dude, what is your problem? Ever since the Wild One got here, you’ve been riding our asses!”

I wanted to kick Scott for saying that. He liked to tease me about my nickname, too.

Bryce’s face grew hot. “Look,” he said, “you’re both Black Belts now and I’m here to teach you, not make things easy or comfortable.”

“Yeah, but you don’t have to be a dick about it,” replied Scott.

Bryce smiled coldly. “If you can’t handle my way of teaching, then feel free to leave.”

“Best thing you’ve come up with all night. I’m outta here,” said Scott, grabbing his gym bag. He muttered something under his breath and stomped out of the dojo. Deep down, I knew he’d wanted to leave earlier, to check on Nora. I could tell he was already falling for her.

Bryce turned to me with a stony expression. “What about you, Wild One?”

I stuck my chin out defiantly. “What about me?”

“You think I’m too demanding?”

“You’re a little… intense.”

Bryce’s mouth twisted into a sardonic grin. He ran a hand through his wavy hair then gazed candidly at me. “You know, there’s something different about you today. You’ve done something… to your hair or face.”

I shrugged. I certainly wasn’t going to tell him I had my eyebrows waxed. Instead I said, “Could it be the way my eyes are glaring at you? Oh, wait! They were doing the same thing yesterday.”

He looked away and chuckled.

His moods were so up and down, I wondered if he was even aware that he was slightly deranged. “Are we done here? Because I don’t think I want to spend another half hour with someone who’s obviously got an issue with me.”

Bryce gave me a confused look. “I don’t understand what you mean.”

“You’ve been shooting daggers at me since I got here. I’m not even sure what I’ve done to offend you so much,” I said and started walking away.

He grabbed my arm. “You don’t offend me at all.”

“Well you have a strange way of showing it,” I said looking up at him.

His eyes searched mine and softened. “Your eyes are so… fascinating,” he said, still holding onto my arm.

I’ve had compliments on my eyes before, which always puzzled me since I thought they looked like pretty average brown eyes. My mom says it’s because my lashes are so thick and long.

He stepped back and cleared his throat. “Well, listen, it’s getting late and I’ve got to get home. We should call it a night.”

I nodded. “I have to pick up my sister anyway.”

Bryce started shutting off the lights in the dojo and I went into the locker room to wash up and run a brush through my hair. When I walked out of the locker room I found him waiting for me in the entryway, dressed in faded jeans and a tight blue T-shirt. He was on his cell phone, clearly frustrated with whomever he was talking to. I waved at him and he hung up the phone.

“Hold up, I’ll walk you out,” he said, throwing on a brown leather jacket.

“Okay,” I said.

He locked the front entrance door, set the alarm, and walked me outside. “Nice night,” he said, looking into the sky.

There was a soft breeze and the stars twinkled above us. “Yeah,” I replied.

He followed me to my truck and stood watching me fumble in my purse for my keys. “Listen,” he said, clearing his throat. “I’m sorry about earlier. I was being a little bit of a jerk I guess.”

“You guess?” I asked dryly.

He shrugged. “I just… there’s stuff going on at home,” he said, putting his hands in his pockets.

“And then there’s Master Jordan bawling you out.”

Bryce chuckled. “He told you, huh? Well, he was right. I was out of line and should have been more professional.”

“It wasn’t a big deal. It really didn’t bother me.”

“Good, because I wasn’t trying to bother you,” he said, looking away. “You just… intrigue me I guess.”

I blushed. “Intrigue you?” I couldn’t believe a guy found me intriguing. Especially one that was incredibly hot.

He turned to me again. “Yes… but I’m one of your karate instructors and probably too old for you.”

I searched his face, trying to decipher how old he actually was. He had a strong jawline with a five o’clock shadow and thick, dark eyebrows that emphasized the blueness of his eyes. He was definitely good-looking, but not the type of perfection that you read about in sappy romance novels. Bryce’s nose was slightly crooked and there was a white scar near his chin cleft. “So, how old are you?”

He smiled. “Twenty.”

That wasn’t so bad, although I knew my parents wouldn’t be excited about me dating someone almost old enough to enter a bar.

His cell chirped and he frowned. “Well, I better let you get home. I’ve got to take this call; it’s probably my mother again.”

“Ok. See you around,” I said, getting into my truck.

He turned around and began walking toward his motorcycle.

I admired his derriere again as I stuck my key into the truck’s ignition. There was a loud click when I turned the key, but unfortunately nothing else. After a couple more attempts to start the engine, Bryce noticed and jogged back over. I rolled my window down.

“Pop the hood,” he said.

I obeyed and he began fiddling around with things in the engine.

“Try it again!” he called from under the hood.

Again, nothing happened.

He rubbed the back of his hand against his forehead and looked down again.

“Okay, now try it!” he yelled again.

This time it fired right up.

He smiled and gave me a thumbs-up. Closing the hood, he walked over to my open window. “I think you might need a new carburetor,” he said, wiping his fingers on his jeans. He had a smudge of grease on his forehead and I smiled, but didn’t tell him.

“Is it safe to drive?”

“You should be fine. But let me give you my cell phone number, just in case you have any problems. I’d follow you, but I really need to get home,” he replied just as his cell phone began to ring again. He checked his phone but didn’t answer.

“Thanks,” I said as he gave me his number.

“Good thing I was still here. This place is like a ghost town.”

I glanced around the dark shops and streets. It was totally deserted. “It’s the flu, I bet. Nobody is going anywhere.”

He nodded. “I know what that’s like. My mom has it, too. That’s why she keeps calling me, hounding me to get home.”

I smiled at him. “Well, then you better go. Thanks again, Bryce.”

He slowly leaned forward and brushed a strand of my hair away from my lips. The smell of leather and his aftershave was intoxicating. I held my breath as he stared into my eyes. “Call me when you get home so I know you made it, okay?” he asked, his voice husky.
I knew right then and there, that I’d never met anyone who’d taken my breath away as much as Bryce did. “Sure,” I replied softly.

“Okay, well goodbye again, ‘Wild One,’” he said, turning away.

I watched as Bryce jogged back over to his motorcycle. He put on his leather jacket and helmet then straddled the bike. He waited until I started moving then followed me for a couple of blocks. When his bike turned away and he was no longer in my rearview mirror, I was already missing him.

7

My phone began vibrating as I headed to Kylie and Paige’s to pick up Allie, which I’d almost forgotten about. I grabbed it out of my pocket and read a text from my mom telling me that school was cancelled for the rest of the week and I didn’t have to pick up my sister since she was staying overnight.

Nice, I thought. That was one less thing I had to worry about.

I changed directions and started heading home. I noticed most of the roads were completely deserted, which wasn’t as surprising as the fact that many of the fast food restaurants and gas stations I passed were also dark and closed. The flu was destroying profits for many businesses.

My mom was reading a book in the Man Cave when I got home. “Hi, honey,” she said, setting it down on the end table.

“Hey,” I replied.

She smiled. “Your eyebrows look very… chic.”

“Thanks – and check out my nails,” I said, holding out my hands.

“Very nice,” she replied, lifting them up.

I sunk into the oversized couch next to her favorite chair. “So, school’s closed. That’s a first.”

“Yes, it’s on the news. All of the schools have been shut down temporarily, due to the flu.” She stretched her arms and stood up. “Are you hungry? I could make you a sandwich.”

“Yes, I’m starving! Thanks, mom.”

I got up and followed her into the kitchen where she began making me a tuna and pickle sandwich. I washed my hands and sat down.

Just then my dad walked into the kitchen.

“Hello, ladies,” he said, kissing us both on the cheek.

“Hi, dad,” I said.

My mom smiled. “Hi, honey, how was your day?”

He gave us a despairing look and sat down by the counter. “It was a complete waste of time, with absolutely no customers. It’s almost the end of the month and they still expect us to move cars. Everyone has the flu. How do I overcome that obstacle?”

“I’m sorry,” said my mom as she moved behind him and began rubbing his shoulders.

He closed his eyes and smiled. “Thanks, that feels good.”

“Maybe business will pick up tomorrow?” asked my mom.

“Doubtful. Damn, I just need to find a new job.”

My mom and I both looked at each other but didn’t say anything.

He grabbed my mom and hugged her. “Can we switch jobs for a day? Let me corral the daycare kids and you can sell cars. Come on, hon.”

My mom smiled sympathetically. “You wouldn’t survive a day.”

“I could put them in kennels? Lock them up and feed them when they get hungry,” he said, smiling.

“Very funny,” my mom answered.

My cell phone began to ring. It was Bryce! I’d forgotten to call him back.

“I’m sorry!” I answered into the phone.

My parents stared curiously as I hurried out of the kitchen.

“You should be. I was getting worried about you,” Bryce said sternly.

I smiled with pleasure. Bryce was actually worried about me.

“I made it. I survived,” I said.

He chuckled. “So, did you notice the roads? How deserted they were? I thought maybe I was in one of those old episodes of the Twilight Zone or something. It was really weird.”

“It was totally odd. This flu virus must be really getting out of control,” I said.

“Tell me about it. My mother is so sick, I don’t know how she’s going to care for my brother tomorrow,” he muttered.

“I didn’t know you had a brother. How old is he?”

“Bobby? He’s six.”

“Well, my mother runs a daycare. She might be willing to watch him until your mom gets better.”

I could almost see the smile spreading across his face. “Wow, really? I have to work tomorrow, otherwise I’d just stay home with him,” he paused. “I work for a construction company and we have this major deadline coming up. My boss already called me tonight to make sure I was still coming in. Most of the guys on this job are sick and he’s frantic.”

“If you promise to be nice to me, I might ask her to watch him.”

Bryce laughed wickedly. “Really? Well, I can be extremely nice if it gets me what I want.”

I groaned. “You’re such a… man.”

“You didn’t notice before?”

“Believe me… everyone notices.”

“Well, I wouldn’t know about that.”

“Do you have a girlfriend?” I blurted. I’m not sure where it came from but I was dying to know.

He paused, then said, “No, not at the moment.”

I was glad he couldn’t see my face, because it was burning. I couldn’t believe I’d asked him like that, out of the blue. Like a little schoolgirl.

“You still there?” he asked softly.

I took a deep breath, “Um… yeah. So… your brother, does he have any allergies?”

“No… but I suppose I should mention that he has Down’s Syndrome. He’s a great kid; really friendly and gets along with everyone. But obviously he needs special attention sometimes.”

“My mom’s great with children. She’ll take really good care of him.”

“Okay, if you could talk to her and let me know. I’d really appreciate it.”

“I’ll call you right back.”

“Thanks, Cassie.”

I hung up and talked it over with my mom, leaving out the fact that Bryce was gorgeous and my heart raced every time he came near me. She agreed to talk to him and work out the details. I called him back and told him the good news.

“Thanks, I’m so relieved,” he said. “You’re such a lifesaver! I was going crazy trying to figure out what to do with my little brother. My mom’s so sick that I’m probably going to have to find time to bring her into the clinic tomorrow as well.”

“Well, maybe she’ll be better by tomorrow and you won’t have to. Listen, my mom’s going to be calling you soon, so I’d better let you go.”

“Okay. Thanks again.”

“Glad I could help.”

It was the first time ever that I was happy that my mom was a daycare provider. Now I would definitely get to see Bryce again.

8

I learned that Bryce would be dropping off his brother Bobby around seven o’clock, so I made sure to be up and dressed. I threw on a pair of jeans, a new coral tank top, and some lip gloss.

My mom looked at me curiously when I walked out of my bedroom. “Wow, you’re up early. It’s only seven o’clock, you know, in the morning.”

I shrugged. “I know.”

There was a soft knock on the door and I rushed down the stairs to answer it. Bryce stood outside, holding the hand of a little boy with similar features. Both of them had damp hair, blue jeans, and matching white polo shirts. Bobby was grinning from ear to ear. He held his hand out to me.

“Hi, I’m Bobby!” he said. “I brought my backpack!”

“Hi,” I answered, shaking his hand.

My mom kneeled next to Bobby. ”Hi, Bobby! My name is Kris. Are you ready to have a super fun day?”

His eyes sparkled. “Yes. Bryce said I was going to have lots of fun today.”

She smiled warmly. “Well, he was right!”

“Okay, Bryce, you can go now,” Bobby waved to his big brother.

Bryce chuckled. “Hold on, buddy. I have to talk to Kris and Cassie here before you kick me out just yet.”

“Okay, Bryce,” he answered.

Bryce held out his hand to my mother. “Hi, I’m Bryce.”

“Nice to meet you, I’m Kris,” she answered, shaking it. “Do you have a few minutes to fill out some paperwork and go over a couple of things before you leave? Cassie can show Bobby around.”

He flashed one of his dimpled smiles and I melted again. “Certainly.”

I showed Bobby around the house and then spent a few minutes in the toy area with him. He was giddy and jumped from toy to toy.

“Wow, I love your toys!” he announced.

I smiled. “They’re pretty neat, aren’t they?”

“Bobby,” my mom said, entering the toy area with Bryce. “Your brother has to leave for work now.”

Bobby jumped up from the floor, ran over to his brother, and threw his arms around him. “I love you, Bryce.”

Bryce held him tightly. “I love you, too, big guy. Be a good boy today, okay?”

Bobby stood back and crossed his heart. “Cross my heart,” he said solemnly.

“Thank you again, Mrs. Wild,” Bryce said turning to my mother. “You’re a lifesaver.”

“No problem. I’m glad I could help out. It was very nice meeting you.”

“Nice meeting you as well. Well, I’d better go. You both have my number if you need anything,” he said.

I nodded and told my mom I’d walk Bryce to the door. When we approached the entryway, and before I could react, he pulled me into his arms and hugged me. “Thanks, Cassie,” he whispered into my ear. The heat of his breath made me tremble all over.

“Um, you’re welcome,” I answered breathlessly. My heart convulsed in my chest as he released me and I longed to feel his arms wrapped around me again.

He cleared his throat. “Wow, I’m sorry…”

“Why?”

The next thing I knew he turned around and was gone. A trace of his cologne lingered in the air and I closed my eyes, thinking of how exhilarating it had felt to be in his arms.

“Ahem,” my mother said. She stood at the top of the stairs, her hands folded across her chest.

“What?”

She arched an eyebrow. “He’s certainly a very good-looking young man.”

I shrugged. “So?”

“He’s a little old for you, so forget about whatever it is you’re daydreaming about.”

I snorted. “Whatever, mom… we’re just friends.”

“Okay. I’m just saying…” she said, her eyes searching mine.

I was about to respond when Megan and her mother, Sara, walked through the door. Sara appeared disheveled and upset. My mother noticed it as well and asked me to show Megan our new guest.

Megan took off her shoes, hugged her mother, and then followed me into the toy area. When she saw Bobby, she stopped and her eyes opened wide.

“Hi,” Bobby said, grinning broadly at Megan. He was sitting on the ground and playing with Legos.

She was bashful and held firmly onto my leg. “Hi,” she answered softly. I grabbed her hand and sat down on the floor with both of them. Soon they were building something with Legos together and I was able to break free to find out what was going on in the other room.

“You can lie down in the guest room,” my mother was murmuring in the hallway. “You must be exhausted.”

“Yes, I am a little, thank you,” she replied, following my mom to our extra bedroom, which was next to mine.

When my mother returned alone, she appeared troubled. “Sara and Megan will be staying with us for a few days,” she said.

“Why?”

Mom sighed. “Her husband is very sick and demanded that she take Megan and stay somewhere else until he gets better. He’s terrified of her getting the flu and having complications with the baby. I guess the last time she was pregnant, with Megan, she ended up in the hospital with pneumonia. Anyway, he was so upset about her being at home that she finally agreed to stay at a hotel for a few days. When she told me that, I suggested that she stay here instead.”

“And she agreed?”

“Well, no… not at first. She didn’t want to impose, but I finally talked her into it.”

“Wow. Okay.”

Just then, my dad shuffled into the kitchen, yawning. He poured himself a large bowl of cereal. “Good morning,” he said in a hoarse voice.

“Okay, dad, you really need to quit with the late night video games. You look exhausted.”

He cleared his throat. “I couldn’t sleep last night and the cable wasn’t working. What else is there to do in the middle of the night?”

“Oh I don’t know… read a book? Rub the bunions on mom’s feet?”

Dad grimaced. “I don’t know which sounds scarier,” he answered.

“Ha ha… very funny, you guys. My bunions just might be too sore to make dinner tonight,” she said dryly.

My dad laughed and put his arm around her. “Just messing with you, honey. You know I’d rub your bunions or warts anytime.”

She elbowed him in the ribs playfully.

“By the way,” said my dad, “I won’t be home until late this evening. I’m working until close and then I’m taking one of the guys out for dinner after. He’s leaving the dealership and all of my coworkers were going to have a ‘going away party’ for him, but of course everyone’s got the damn flu. So, it’s just us two guys.” He looked at my mom. “Would you want to meet us at the restaurant? Or I can bring you back some wings tonight if you’d like?”

My mom craves Buffalo wings almost as much as I do pickles. This time she stunned us both. She shook her head.

“No thanks on both counts. I really should stay home tonight. I’ve got some laundry and cleaning to do. As far as the wings go,” she said, touching her stomach. “I’m really trying to be good. I’ve got to start changing my diet; those things are just loaded with cholesterol.”

My dad and I looked at each other. We both knew she’d change her mind before the end of the night. She’d be texting and reminding him to bring them home until he pulled into the driveway.

“Well, if you change your mind, just let me know and I’ll bring you some tonight,” he replied, biting back a smile.

She shrugged and then began telling him about our new houseguests. I wasn’t sure how my dad was going to react to that little tidbit of news, so I left them and went to my room, where I collapsed onto my bed. It was still early, and there was no school, so I closed my eyes, counting the minutes until I’d get to see Bryce again. Eventually I fell into a dreamless asleep.

***

It was just after ten when I finally crawled back out of bed. I was hungry, so I made a ham and pickle sandwich, turned on the television, and found that the cable still wasn’t working. Frustrated and bored, I decided to rearrange my bedroom. After an hour of moving heavy furniture around, I stood back, only to realize that everything had worked better in their original positions. Defeated, I gave up and sent a text to Nora to see how she was doing. Unfortunately, she didn’t respond, so then I sent one to Scott, who didn’t get back to me either. I knew there wasn’t much I could do to help find her father, but then I started wondering if I should just drive to her house and offer a little moral support.

“Cassie,” my mother said, interrupting my thoughts. “Bryce called. He’s going to try and bring his mother to the clinic tonight when he finishes work. So Bobby might be spending the night with us.”

“Oh,” I answered, a little disheartened that I probably wouldn’t be seeing Bryce tonight.

Looking pensive, she strolled over to the bay window in our kitchen and stared out. I knew something else was bothering her.

“What’s wrong?” I asked her.

She turned around and folded her arms across her chest. “Well, Bryce was kind of concerned when I spoke to him. He claimed that a buddy of his, who’s a radio dispatcher with the Wolf Creek Police Department, gave him some alarming information. I guess there’ve been several reports of violence in town and they’re urging people to stay inside and lock their doors.”

I frowned. “Wow, that’s… scary.”

She sat down by the kitchen counter. “Tell me about it,” she answered, tapping her fingernails against the counter absently.

My stomach clenched. Allie! I grabbed my cell phone. “Mom, I’m going to call Allie and make sure she’s okay.”

She grew pale. “Oh, God, I forgot she wasn’t home! Good thinking, honey. I better call your father, too, and see if he’s heard anything.”

Allie was oblivious to everything going on in the outside world when I called her.

“We’re swimming and Kristie’s going to make us a pizza later. She said she’ll bring me home sometime tonight.”

I sighed. “Okay. The cable is out here so if you hear something about rioting or violence, let me know right away. Make sure you tell Kristie about it, too,” I told her.

“Yeah… well the cable’s not working here either. In fact, the radio stations are down as well. There’s nothing but static.”

“Okay, now that’s really weird.”

“Tell me about it,” Allie replied and then began shrieking with laughter. “Kylie! Oh, my God… you are so bumming! She’s going to… hey, Cass, I have to go. Kylie just pushed her mom into the pool!” Click.

Leave it to Allie; nothing outside of her world bothers her.

“Great! I can’t get ahold of your father,” my mom announced shrilly. “I sent him a few texts and even left him a voicemail.”

“Calm down, mom! I’m sure he’s with a customer. You’re worrying too much.”

She sat down and rubbed her forehead. “You’re probably right.”

“Did you call the main business line?”

“Oh, I didn’t even think about that!” She picked up her phone again and dialed. I watched her frown and then leave a message.

“Mom, if everyone has the flu, there’s probably nobody available to answer the main lines either.”

She nodded in agreement, but I could tell her mind was still racing. She was one of the most paranoid people I knew.

Sara walked into the kitchen, looking bewildered. “You’re not going to believe this, but something seriously BIG is going on!” she exclaimed, then dramatically lowered her voice, as if somebody was listening in. “A friend of mine from the military just sent me a text. They’re issuing a nationwide emergency warning. He wouldn’t get into details, although I’m betting on some kind of terrorism. Anyway, everyone is supposed to stay indoors. They’re even sending out military forces everywhere to limit travel.”

My mom’s mouth dropped open. “What? How can they keep everyone in the nation from leaving their homes or driving anywhere? That’s ridiculous.”

Just then, someone rang the doorbell.

We all stared at each other.

“I suppose one of us should answer that. I’ll be right back,” said my mom.

Sara and I followed her to the door.

“Good afternoon, ma’am,” said the friendly young soldier standing outside. He was dressed in full military garb with a 9MM handgun holstered on his side.

“Um, hello,” replied my mother, crossing her arms in front of her chest. “What can I do for you?”

He noticed me and Sara, with her pregnant belly and smiled apologetically. “My name is Lieutenant Austin Smith and I’m really sorry to bother y’all. I’m not sure if you’ve heard, but there have been some disturbances in town and we’re securing all of the neighborhoods now to make sure there are no further issues.”

“Oh, well we’re fine here,” my mother replied. Her eyes narrowed. “What sort of violence are we talking about?”

The soldier cleared his throat. “Nothing too major, I reckon, a few squabbles, some vandalism.”

“Who was it?” I blurted out.

He shot a fleeting glance up and down my body, then his brown eyes met mine. His smile made me blush; I crossed my arms across my chest.

“I’m really not sure who they are or why, if that’s your next question. My platoon’s duties are to scout surrounding neighborhoods and advise everyone to stay indoors for the next twenty-four hours.”

“What about people who are working or traveling? My husband’s at work and my youngest daughter isn’t home from her girlfriend’s yet,” complained my mother.

He gave her a reassuring smile. “They’ll certainly be allowed to return home, we’re just advising folks from venturing out of the safety of their homes until we have everything under control. We have some roadblocks in place but will definitely allow people to go home if that’s where they belong.”

“Sounds a little extreme, doesn’t it?” asked Sara.

“Believe me, Miss, it’s for the safety of the public. We’ll let y’all know when it’s safe to leave your homes.” His radio went off and he stepped away to respond to it.

“This is too weird,” Sara whispered. “I don’t like it. They’re being vague but basically ordering us not to go anywhere. They can’t expect people to just stop their lives and hide out at home without giving us more information.”

My mom was about to respond when the soldier returned.

“Well,” he said, this time looking rushed. “I’ve got to keep making my rounds. Just remember, ladies, stay in and lock your doors. If someone besides a military official visits your property, don’t interact with them. We’ll be monitoring the neighborhood pretty thoroughly, so there shouldn’t be problems. Just heed the advice and everyone should be fine.”

“Okay, thanks. Just let us know when the curfew you’ve forced upon us has been lifted,” I said, unable to hide my sarcasm.

We stared at each other a minute, then he smiled. “Y’all have a nice day.”

I let out an exasperated sigh when he left.

“You are such a smartass,” my mom said.

“What?” I asked with a cocky grin.

“You know, I don’t like the way he was checking you out,” she stated. “Between him and Bryce, I’m going to have to watch you like a hawk.”

I snickered and shook my head.

Sara sighed. “I wonder if I should leave and check on Kevin.”

“You heard what the officer said, you can’t leave. It might not be safe,” replied my mom.

She shook her head. “That’s crap. They can’t keep me from seeing my husband.”

“Have you talked to him?” asked my mom.

“We spoke earlier. I better call him and see how he’s doing.” She grabbed her cell phone out of her pocket and walked away.

“I’d better check on the kids,” said mom.

I ran upstairs to my room and took out my cell phone. I hadn’t communicated with Bryce since this morning, so I decided to send him a text.

Hi Bryce-how are you?

Hello Wild, I was just thinking about you.

Oh? I smiled, laying my head against my pillow.

Yes-you guys doing okay?

I sighed and typed. Yes, military stopped by to say we can’t leave.

Yes, I heard about that, he typed. My aunt is caring for mom. She’s going to bring her to the clinic. I’ll be at your house for Bobby ASAP.

They might not let you through!

They won’t have a choice.

Lol… okay, see you tonight!

Count on it.

9

Sara was able to reach Kevin and he was still feeling miserable. He’d also been approached by a military official and they promised to send out someone from their medical staff to check on him before nightfall.

Mom spent the rest of the afternoon calling our family and friends, as well as trying to reach dad, who was still M.I.A. She also spoke with Kylie’s mom, Kristie, and they both agreed that it was much safer for everyone to stay put. Allie would be sleeping over another night.

Around six o’clock, I volunteered to grill hamburgers on the deck. As I stepped onto the balcony, I noticed several soldiers stationed throughout the neighborhood, some carrying automatic rifles. One of the soldiers, presumably the cowboy at our door earlier, waved at me while I flipped the patties, but I played ignorant.

“I’m sorry, I just can’t think about food right now,” complained my mother, pushing away her dinner plate. She put her head in her hands and sighed wearily. “Your father still hasn’t responded to any of my calls or texts; I’m seriously getting worried. This is unusual, even for him.”

I stood up and started clearing away the dishes from the table. “I’m sure he’s fine, mom. There could be a dozen reasons that he hasn’t called back yet. Maybe his cell phone died, or he left it in the car? Just… quit worrying so much.”

She raised her head and let out a deep sigh. “I hope you’re right, honey.”

I put a hand on her shoulder. “Why don’t you just go and lie down for a while? You’ve been pacing around all day, upsetting yourself. I’ll come and get you if there’s any news.”

“Maybe you’re right,” she said, rising from the table. “Just for a little while. Keep an eye on Bobby, will you?”

I nodded. “In fact, I’ll go check on him right now. He was playing dolls with Megan just a little while ago.”

Mom went to her bedroom and I found Bobby with Sara and Megan. They were finishing a board game. I sat down and watched as Bobby won.

“I won!” yelled Bobby as he pumped his fist. “Yes!”

Sara smiled at him then looked up at the clock. “Megan, it’s time for a bath.”

“Sara, do you know where the towels are?” I asked, standing up.

She nodded. “Your mom showed me earlier.”

Megan was pretty excited to be taking a bath at “Daycare” and I could hear her chatting about it all the way up the stairs.

“I feel like watching a movie. Do you want to watch Peter Pan with me?” I asked, settling myself next to Bobby on the couch.

“That’s my favorite movie!” he announced.

“Hey, I thought you said your favorite movie was Beauty and the Beast?”

“That’s my favorite, too,” he replied.

I smiled at him and ruffled his soft brown hair.

“Where’s Bryce?” he asked.

I looked at my watch, it was almost eight o’clock. “I think he’s still working. He’ll be coming soon to take you home, don’t worry.”

Bobby’s face turned grim and he looked at his hands. “I don’t want to leave. I wish Bryce and I could stay here forever.”

“Oh, really? Don’t you want to go home and see your mom? You must miss her. I’m sure she misses you.”

He smiled sadly. “No. She only likes her juice.”

“Her… juice?” I asked, puzzled.

Bobby nodded. “Yes. Her brown juice. It smells yucky,” he said pinching his nose. ”I don’t like it when she drinks it. She says mean things.”

I placed his hand in mine and took a deep breath. “Has she ever hurt you when she’s been drinking her juice?”

He shook his head firmly. “No, not anymore. Bryce made her stop. He loves me the most.”

I reached over and gave him a hug. When I finally let go, he gave me a lopsided grin. “You’re nice. I wish you were my mom.”

“I’m a little young to be your mom, but, you want to know a secret?”

He nodded.

I whispered into his ear. “If you were my son, I’d love you the most.”

His face broke out in a huge grin and my heart ached at the thought of anyone being intentionally cruel to such a sweet kid.

I stood up to put the movie in the DVD player. “Bobby, do you want some popcorn?” I asked.

“Popcorn is my favorite!” he shouted.

***

Bobby fell asleep during the movie, sometime after nine o’clock. I covered him up with a warm fleece blanket and went upstairs to find that I was the only one still awake. I also was having a hard time trying to keep my eyes open.

I yawned and shuffled into the kitchen for a drink of water. As I raised the glass to my lips, something in the window caught my eye. I leaned forward for a better glimpse and saw sporadic flashes lighting up the night. Puzzled, I flipped off the kitchen light and rushed over to the dining room balcony to step outside. Just as I slid the door open, I heard gunfire. Terrified, I slumped down on the ground.

“You hear that too?” whispered Sara next to my ear.

“Jesus,” I gasped. “Don’t ever sneak up on me again!”

“Sorry,” she said. “I was in the bedroom when I heard the shots.”

“I’m calling nine-one-one,” I stated, pulling out my phone. I quickly dialed and was put on hold for few minutes before the line went dead.

“Let me try,” said Sara, pulling out her phone. After a few seconds, she hung up. “This is crazy. The line is temporarily out of service. It’s nine-one-one! How does that even happen?”

There was more gunfire, this time followed by loud screams.

“Oh, my God!” gasped Sara, frantically closing and locking the door.

“Did… did someone just get shot?” I asked her in horror.

She touched my shoulder and nodded. “I think so. Your dad, he has guns, right?”

“Yes,” I said, trembling. “Yes, in the gun safe.”

“Show me,” she said.

We hurried downstairs to the cellar and I opened my dad’s gun safe.

“Wow, he doesn’t mess around, does he? There’s got to be over twenty guns in here.” She pulled out a Smith and Wesson ten millimeter gun and nodded with approval. “This will do.”

“You know how to fire a gun?” I asked as she loaded it.

“Sure, I own a couple guns myself. I’m in the Reserves; you didn’t know?”

I shook my head. “No, I didn’t. Nobody ever told me.”

“Well, now you do. Your mom’s mentioned that you can shoot. Maybe you should be armed, too, just in case. Pick one out and follow me.”

I grabbed my dad’s ten millimeter Colt Delta and some ammunition.

“What’s going on?” asked my mom in a strangled voice. She stood on the stairs with terror in her eyes.

“Mom, we heard some gunfire and screaming outside.”

“What?” she cried and raced up the stairs.

I scrambled up the steps after her and crouched next to her by the family room window. She slid her hand between the blinds and tugged the window open.

“It looks pretty deserted out there,” I whispered. “I wonder what happened to all those soldiers who were supposed to be helping us?”

She held up her hand to silence me. “Do you hear that?” she whispered.

My heart stopped as I heard the faint sound of a man moaning for help.

10

The front door slammed shut and we both jumped.

“Sara,” I pointed out the window as our pregnant houseguest bolted away from the safety of the house, her white maternity shirt a beacon in the darkness.

“What is she thinking? It’s not safe!” protested my mother.

I felt a sudden surge of fear and adrenaline. I stood up and raced after Sara, determined to keep Megan’s mom and her unborn child safe.

“Cassie!” my mother shrieked. She bolted down the stairs after me and grabbed my arm before I could make it out the door. “Where in the hell do you think you’re going?!”

I tried pulling away. “Mom, Sara may need help! You have to let me go.”

She shook her head vehemently. “I don’t think so! Give the gun to me, I’ll go after her.”

“You don’t know how to use this thing. You won’t be able to help her!” I hollered.

Her hazel eyes hardened. “Bull crap. You give it to me, young lady. Now!”

Frustrated, but unable to defy my mother, I reluctantly handed her the gun.

“Okay, now stay away from the door and windows. I don’t want you to get shot if there are stray bullets.”

I groaned. “Mom…”

“I’m serious,” she said, shaking her index finger at me before she raced out the door.

This is nuts, I thought. I felt like pulling my hair out. I was not only terrified for my mom, but also for the kids sound asleep in the house; which, reminded me.

I ran back upstairs to the guestroom, where Megan was still sleeping peacefully. I checked the window to make sure it was secure, then hesitantly snuck back out.

Next, I scurried back downstairs to find Bobby still sleeping on the couch. He looked so peaceful. I sighed at his innocence and then thought of his brother, who should have arrived by now. I pulled out my phone and tried calling Bryce but he didn’t answer. Neither did he respond to a text.

Bryce, where are you? I wondered, trying to stay calm. And where in the heck was my dad?

I went back down to the cellar and grabbed my dad’s new Beretta, which he’d been so proud of. It was a nine millimeter and held seventeen rounds. Perfect.

“Cassie!” hollered my mom from the upstairs landing. “Grab the first-aid kit, quickly!”

I sighed with relief, then grabbed the kit from the laundry room and rushed back up the stairs. I skidded to a halt at the hellish nightmare before me; Sara sat on the steps trying to use her phone, tears streaming down her cheeks, while my mother knelt on the floor, pressing a bloodied towel over a young soldier’s shoulder. His face was pale and he was choking on some of his own blood.

“Just breathe slowly,” murmured my mother.

The soldier looked up at me and I recognized him, it was Austin. He tried to say something, but his face contorted in agony and he clamped his eyes shut.

“What… what happened to him?” I whispered in horror.

She shrugged. “Honestly, I don’t know. He was like this when we found him. Hand me the first-aid kit.”

“Where is everyone?!” sobbed Sara, throwing her phone down. “Nobody is answering the damn phones, all of those soldiers from earlier… just disappeared?!”

“Okay, calm down, Sara. Everything’s going to be okay. We’ll get through this, somehow,” said my mom as she opened a bottle of iodine. She poured some on her hands.

“What’s that for?” I asked.

“It kills bacteria,” she replied. She then put on some plastic gloves.

When my mom lifted up the towel from the soldier, I almost threw up. His flesh was mangled with blood oozing out of the wound.

“Oh, God,” Sara whispered covering her mouth. The next thing I knew she was running up the stairs gagging.

Mom examined the wound and shook her head. “This isn’t working. It’s too deep. We have to get him to the hospital. He’ll never survive if we don’t do it right now.” She poured some iodine on the wound and the solider moaned.

“Sorry,” she said.

“I’ll go,” I stated. “I’ll take him to the hospital.”

“No, I’ve already decided. I’m doing it,” argued my mother.

“Well, then I’m coming with,” I said defiantly.

“No. I’m going by myself, and that’s final. You stay here with Sara and the kids. Lock the doors, keep the guns loaded, and watch for your father or Bryce.”

It was pointless to argue with her. I sighed. “Okay, fine, I’ll help you get him into the SUV.”

My mom had somehow managed to stop most of the bleeding with gauze and bandages. The weakened soldier had passed out while she was tending to his wound, which made it much more difficult for us to carry him through the garage and into the backseat of the SUV.

“Now,” my mom said, breathing heavily after getting him secured. “I’m going to find help for all of us. If you’re dad comes back, have him call me immediately.”

I nodded. “Okay.”

She stared at me with a terrified look in her eyes and then pulled me into her arms. “You be careful, Cassie. I don’t understand what’s going on. Just stay inside and be.. .strong.”

I swallowed back my tears and nodded.

Mom pulled away and brushed a strand of hair from my cheek. “And… check on Allie again. Make sure your little sister’s safe, too.”

“I promise. I’ll do it right away.”

She grabbed one of the guns and shoved it into her purse. Taking a deep breath, she said, “Okay, I’ll be back.”

I tried to remain calm as I watched my mom open the garage and leave in the SUV, but I was terrified. I had no idea what was going on outside or in town, whether it was random violence, terrorism, or something even worse. I felt like I was in a nightmare. I closed the garage door.

“Um, Cassie?”

“What?” I asked, turning around. I felt like throwing up.

Sara held up my mother’s cell phone, her face pale. “Isn’t this your mom’s?”

11

I called my sister’s cell phone, but she wasn’t answering. It was after eleven and I figured she might have fallen asleep, but I didn’t want to take any chances so I called Paige, too. When she didn’t respond, my stomach contracted like a tight fist.

Sara squeezed my shoulder; she knew I was on the verge of losing it. “They might all be asleep by now.”

“I hope so,” I replied in a strained voice.

“Or it might be possible that they don’t have their cell phones nearby. Does Paige’s mom have a landline?”

I wasn’t sure. I ran downstairs to find the phonebook, and as I began flipping through the pages, the power went out in the house.

Crap!

“Cassie!” called Sara from upstairs. “Do you have a flashlight?”

I used the lights from my cell phone to find my way back up into the kitchen where I knew my mom kept a flashlight and candles.

“Thank God my mom is a candle fanatic,” I said, placing lit candles of all shapes and sizes throughout the house.

“Did you hear that?” Sara whispered.

I froze. “What?”

She grabbed her gun and hurried over to the balcony door. “I’m going to sneak on the deck, see if someone’s out there. I thought I heard voices.”

I felt a prickling sensation go up my spine. “Be careful.” We didn’t have steps leading from the deck, but that didn’t mean someone couldn’t somehow climb up from below. It was heavily wooded behind the house, a great place for someone to hide.

She crawled out on her hands and knees and peered through the slats.

“Do you hear or see anything?” I whispered loudly as she looked over the side of the wooden railing.

She held up her hand to silence me.

A loud scream ripped through the darkness, startling both of us. Sara gasped and scurried back inside. Her face was a mask of terror.

“Who was that?!”

“I don’t know,” she said in a strangled voice.

“Did you see anything at all?”

She shook her head. “It’s too dark out there.”

There was another terrifying scream, this time much closer to the house. It sounded female.

Sara took a deep breath. “Okay, I’m going to check it out. Stay here, I’ll be back.” Before I could respond, she rushed down the steps to the front door.

I picked up the Beretta and hustled after her.

“What are you doing? Stay here,” she demanded, slipping on her shoes.

“No, I’m coming with you. You might need my help.”

Sara sighed. “Fine, but you do exactly what I tell you to do and stay close.”

I nodded and she opened the door. As we stepped outside, I could hear faint cries somewhere on the other side of the cul-de-sac, behind one of the houses. Strangely, Charlie wasn’t outside barking his head off.

“This way,” said Sara as she rushed across the street, heading toward the Hendrickson’s dark Rambler.

I froze in my tracks; it was starting to feel a lot like déjà vu. My palms grew clammy as I tried to find the courage to keep moving.

Sara turned around and waved her hand frantically. “Come on,” she whispered loudly.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and hurried across as she started moving again. She was really fast for being pregnant, which I contributed to her military training. I thought I was in fairly good shape but I struggled to keep up with her.

We went around the Hendrickson’s fence to the next yard over and paused behind a small wooden shed.

Sara’s eyes widened with alarm. “Over there,” she pointed through the darkness.

I could barely make out the three figures, but it looked like a woman and two soldiers. The three were less than a hundred feet away. She was crying hysterically and appeared to be running from the men.

I turned to Sara in shock. “This seem wrong to you? They’re supposed to be the good guys.”

“Something’s definitely wrong,” muttered Sara, unconsciously rubbing a hand over swollen belly.

We slipped through the trees toward the men, who were focused fully on the desperate woman. The soldiers were staggering, as if they were wounded, and the distance began to widen between the woman and her pursuers. As we inched our way closer to the soldiers, I gawked in disbelief.

“Oh, God,” I whispered.

The two soldiers looked like something out of a horror movie. Their clothing was torn, they were filthy, bloody, and missing some very important body parts; one man an arm, the other a hand and part of his face. But they were still moving, and fairly quickly for being so injured.

How? I wondered incredulously.

The taller of the two must have somehow sensed something, because he stopped and turned toward us. Then he opened what was left of his pitted face and made a screeching noise, one that chilled me to the bone.

I swallowed. “Um… Sara?”

The other one whipped its head around and growled.

“Get your gun ready,” demanded Sara.

Suddenly the two hideous men charged toward us and I gave a startled gasp.

Sara raised her pistol. “Stop, right there!” she yelled. “Don’t come any closer!”

They ignored her and kept stumbling toward us.

“Cassie, shoot them if you have to,” she said.

As they moved closer, I felt as if I was losing my mind. Blood dripped from open wounds on the soldiers’ skin, their eyes were red and unfocused, and their mouths… they seemed to be almost salivating.

Sara’s lips curled in disgust. “God, they stink.”

The taller one lurched toward Sara and her gun went off. Blood and brain matter sprayed everywhere as he dropped to his knees, falling on what was left of his dreadful face.

“Watch out, Cassie!” yelled Sara.

The second man was almost upon me. I raised my trembling hand and fired, hitting him in the shoulder. He paused for only a second and then charged at me again. I fired a second bullet, this time taking out his ear.

“Damn it!” I cried. I’d never had to shoot anything but inanimate objects before.

Sara shot him in the leg. He grunted and then fell to the ground.

“Stay back, Cassie,” she demanded, inching slowly toward him.

His face was grayish in color and mottled with weird patches. Something green bubbled out of his nose and I had this sudden urge to find him a tissue.

“What happened to him?” I asked, staring with fascinated horror.

She shook her head. “I don’t know. I’ve never seen anything like it before.”

He growled and reached out toward Sara with his one good arm, the other one just a stump of flesh.

The sound of branches snapping made us jump and the woman the soldiers had been chasing stepped out of the darkness. Her eyes were filled with hate. “Kill that bastard! He killed my Paul and he’ll kill you both if you let him live! He’s… he’s not human, he’s a monster!”

Before anyone could react, the man grabbed Sara’s ankle. She screamed and shot him in the head.

The woman sighed in relief. “We’ve got to leave and go somewhere safe.” Her voice quivered when she spoke and her eyes darted around the trees. She was about my mother’s age, dressed in jeans and a sweatshirt, which were both ripped and dirty. There was some dried blood on the side of her face and matted into her short, brown hair.

“Are you hurt?” asked Sara, pointing to her face.

The lady shook her head and then touched the side of her face. Tears welled up in her eyes. “It’s my husband’s blood,” she replied bitterly. “They attacked us and killed him.”

Sara’s eyes widened. “Okay, let’s get back to the house. We’ve got to make sure the kids are okay, and try getting ahold of the police again.”

I’d forgotten about Megan and Bobby! We’d left them all alone in the house.

I took one last glimpse of the dead men as we started walking back toward the house and felt a pang of shame. They were U.S. soldiers and they looked like they’d lost a war, only they’d been fighting for the wrong side.

“Those couldn’t have been soldiers,” Sara said, brushing a dark strand of hair away from her face. “It just doesn’t make sense.”

“They weren’t soldiers… anymore, they weren’t even human. They were some kind of… demons,” replied the distraught woman.

“They certainly looked like something from hell,” I said.

“Maybe they were criminals; dressed as soldiers,” said Sara.

The woman shook her head. “No. They attacked us like violent animals. The taller soldier ripped... oh, God!” she cried, covering her face. “He ripped out Paul’s neck with his teeth!”

Sara put an arm around the woman’s shoulders. “Don’t worry. You’re safe now. We’ll help you.”

She nodded and wiped the tears from her face. “We’d better hurry. There are more of those things around. It’s not safe.”

There’s more? The thought of there being more insane soldiers wandering around in the dark chilled me to the bone. I tightened my grip on the gun.

As we hurried across the cul-de-sac, it was eerily quiet, no sounds but the echo of our feet across the pavement.

“How can anyone sleep through the commotion back there?” muttered Sara, shaking her head in disbelief.

I looked around and noticed the power was still out in the entire neighborhood, finding it odd that not one person had stepped out of their homes to see what was going on. Not even with the gunfire.

We entered the house and checked on the children; thankfully they were both still sleeping soundly.

“Thank God they’re safe,” said Sara.

“I’ll be right back,” I said, going to the bathroom to wash my hands, which suddenly felt dirty. I stared in horror at my fingers; one of my new French tip nails was completely cracked!

Are you kidding me?!

I was so angry. The one and only time I get a professional manicure and I’m caught up in some crazy shit that ruins the beauty of my nails. I glared at the cracked nail and cut off the tip.

Still disgusted, I went down to the cellar where Sara and the stranger were.

“What’s your name?” Sara asked the woman, who was staring off into space.

The woman released a shaky breath. “Hannah,” she replied thickly.

“So, do you mind starting from the beginning and tell us what happened? I think we need to know, especially since I’ve killed the two men who were after you.”

Hannah nodded and then sat down on the steps. She cleared her throat. “Well, we were busy at work, Paul and I. We own a liquor store on Main Street, The Liquor Depot? Anyway, that’s where we first encountered one of those… monsters.”

Sara frowned. “You saw more of them in town?”

“Yes, earlier in the evening. They weren’t soldiers, either. Just regular ol’ people,” she shrugged, “Or they used to be people. Anyway, the store is normally busy, no matter what hour it is, but the past couple of days, there haven’t been many customers. The flu, you know? It’s hurt our business too, if you can believe it.”

Her voice was getting hoarse, so I offered her a bottle of water.

“Thanks,” she said. “Anyway, I was leaving the backroom of the store when I heard Paul yelling at someone by the register, so I hurried to the front to see what was going on. Well, it was one of those… freaks and it was making these weird garbled noises, and trying to grab on to Paul’s arm. From the back, I thought it was just some angry fellow, so I hollered at him to leave the store,” she sighed. “But instead of leaving, he turned around and tried attacking me! Thank goodness Paul was there… oh, Paul!” she cried bitterly.

Sara handed her a tissue and squeezed her shoulder.

“I’m sorry. It’s just the thought of never seeing him again, you know?” She sniffled.

We both nodded. Sara handed her more tissues.

“Anyway, Paul grabbed the thing before it got too close, and it bit him in the shoulder!”

“You keep calling it a thing. What do you mean? Are you sure it wasn’t just some crazy lunatic?” asked Sara.

Hannah snorted. “I wish it was. No… this thing’s eyes weren’t… normal. Something was wrong with the pupils. And its skin looked grayish-white, almost like skin when it’s decomposing. In fact,” she said, sitting up straighter. “That’s what these things remind me of… dead people.”

“Dead people… like zombies?” I whispered.

“Exactly like that! You know, my father owned a funeral home back in the seventies. Once I snuck down to the basement and saw a couple dead bodies,” she shuddered. “Yep, that’s what those things reminded me of tonight; dead people walking around, without their souls.”

I’m not sure why, but I believed her. From Sara’s expression though, she wasn’t convinced.

“What happened after your husband was bit?” asked Sara.

Hannah sighed. “Well, Paul smacked it on its head, repeatedly, until it finally let go of his shoulder and fell to the ground. Then the damn thing got back up and rushed at Paul, growling at him.”

“Did you kill it?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper.

“Hell yes. I grabbed the gun behind the register and shot the thing in the head,” she declared proudly.

Sara and I looked at each other, not sure what to say.

“Did you call the police?” Sara asked.

“Well, we tried calling the sheriff, but the lines were busy. So Paul called a buddy of his on the police force, Jim Nielson. Jim was around, amazingly. He said these things were attacking people all over town.”

I shuddered. “All over the entire town?”

Hannah nodded. “Yes. And what’s even more disturbing is that the ones that turned into these…. zombies, they were normal people just a few hours ago, people who live here in town.”

Sara rubbed her forehead. “So, what you’re saying is that normal people are turning into zombies?”

Hannah’s eyes narrowed and they darted back and forth, looking at both of us. “First, let me ask you something. Did either of you get the flu vaccine?”

We both shook our heads.

Hannah released a sigh of relief. “Good, then I don’t need to worry about either of you turning.”

Sara frowned. “Turning? Hold on. You’re saying that the people who are turning into… zombies… are doing so because they received the flu vaccine?” She shook her head. “You can’t be serious.”

Hannah laughed bitterly. “I am as serious as a heart attack. I wish it weren’t true, that Paul was still… alive. But Jim, he told us everything, the entire ugly truth. The truth the government is desperately trying to conceal and now fix. They’ve even shut down most of the power to try and contain these things.”

“They’re responsible for the power being shut off?” asked Sara.

Hannah nodded. “Personally, I think someone high-up was already losing their mind when they approved ‘that call’”.

“Nothing makes sense,” mumbled Sara.

“What exactly are they trying to hide?” I asked breathlessly.

She touched my shoulder. “Right now, anyone who’s been vaccinated is doomed. They’ve all been issued a death warrant. Only it’s their soul that dies, their bodies live on.”

I expected to hear a clap of thunder after her terrifying revelation. Instead, Sara laughed out loud.

“That’s ridiculous! There’s no way the government would release a vaccine that would create millions of… zombies!”

“Well, that was our reaction when we heard the story. But you see, the newest vaccine was never tested thoroughly before it was released. The FDA actually never even approved the vaccine, but it was still released.”

“How can that be? The FDA would have had to have been involved in order for the drug to have been released.”

“Well, I’m not sure the specifics of what happened, dear. That’s just the story I heard, and after seeing some of these walking dead things, I believe Jim.”

“How could a drug cause a person to make decisions without a conscious soul?” I asked.

“I don’t know. I’m just hoping those lost souls are with their maker,” replied Hannah softly, drawing a cross upon her chest.

This was too much for me to fathom.

“How many more of these zombies did you run into tonight?” Sara asked.

“Well, after we got done talking to Jim, we closed up shop so we could high-tail it on home. We didn’t really believe Jim at the time, not until we saw the horror of what was happening around town.”

“What did you see?” I asked.

“Innocent people were getting attacked by these… zombies. Right on the streets! I felt like I was in some sort of scary motion picture. My mind wanted to believe that all these people were actors, that the blood and gore wasn’t real. That it was just a scene they were shooting for a movie.” Hannah’s eyes filled with tears. “But it was real.”

“How did you guys make it out of there?” Sara asked.

“We own a Dodge Ram,” she sniffed, “with a Hemi! I tell you that thing just plowed through those zombies. They didn’t even know what hit ‘em.”

I looked at Sara in horror, picturing the bodies getting hit by the truck.

“If you made it out of town, what happened to Paul?”

Hannah shook her head sadly. “There was a little girl, about ten years old. Only a couple blocks away from here. Well, she was running and some soldiers were chasing her. We had to stop. We could see that the little girl wasn’t a zombie, but the soldiers… they’d already changed.”

“Why would the government allow soldiers who received the vaccines to monitor everything?”

“I don’t think they know exactly who’s been vaccinated, even with the military. You can walk up to the local drug store and receive a vaccine. Anyway, the soldiers you killed tonight were the two chasing the girl. We hit them with our truck, and they were pretty messed up, you saw their missing limbs. But that didn’t stop them from coming back at us. The taller of the two is the one who got Paul. He was fast and strong. I couldn’t help my husband,” she said, the tears flooding all over again.

“What happened to the little girl?” I asked.

She shrugged, and wiped her eyes with the tissue. “I don’t really know. Hopefully she made it somewhere safe.”

“What do we do now?” I asked Sara.

Sara looked pale. She walked away, speechless.

I felt like throwing up. The idea that my mother, sister, and father were in this nightmare, probably trying to survive, was horrifying. I didn’t know if I could believe this stranger. Were there real-live zombies combing the streets, looking for their next victim?

I turned to Hannah. “Um, what about the people who aren’t zombies? What happens if they get bit or hurt by one?”

Her eyes widened. “I don’t know, dear. I was too busy running for my life to find out.”

12

I was overwhelmed and emotionally exhausted from everything that had happened. Needing a burst of caffeine, I walked into the kitchen to grab a can of soda and noticed that there was a message on my phone.

Bryce? I hadn’t allowed myself to think about him, it was just too painful to consider that he might be among the walking dead. I had no idea if he’d had the vaccine or his brother for that matter. It might be a good idea to keep a close eye on Bobby!

I picked up my phone and sighed with relief; it was Allie. I quickly dialed into my voicemail but my happiness was quickly shattered.

“Cassie,” whispered Allie, I could tell she was in tears. “Oh, my God… we need help! Dan is trying to… kill us.” Next, I heard her scream in terror and then the phone went dead.

Horrified, I tried calling her back but there was no answer. Then I sent her several texts and waited. But she didn’t respond. I threw my phone down and started crying.; I couldn’t bear the thought of anything happening to Allie. Dan must have turned into a zombie!

Then it hit me. I knew exactly what I had to do; save my little sister.

Wiping away my tears, I stood up and grabbed my truck keys. There was no way I was going to sit back and allow her to be a victim to Dan or any other zombies. If she was still alive, I was going to find her.

Suspecting that Sara wouldn’t let me leave the safety of the house, I decided not to tell her of my plans. Instead, I grabbed a piece of paper and wrote her a note. I also asked her to keep a careful watch on Bobby. Finally, I added Paige’s address, just in case my mom or dad came home.

I went back down to the cellar and nonchalantly grabbed more ammunition near the gun safe. Sara didn’t even notice, she was too busy trying to console Hannah.

Yawning, I said, “I’m going to lie down for a little while.”

She looked at me and nodded. “Okay, Hannah and I are going to figure out what in the heck we’re going to do next.”

I said goodnight, then ran upstairs to grab the Berretta and my sectional staff, which is something I’d never used away from my karate class. It could inflict a lot of pain. If there was ever a time to use it, I knew it was now.

My truck was parked on the other side of the garage. With my heart hammering in my chest, I took a fearful breath and snuck outside, locking the door behind me. It was deathly quiet except for the sound of an old barn owl hooting somewhere in the distance. Thankfully, I was alone, nobody waiting for me in the shadows. I hopped into my truck and locked the doors.

“Please start,” I begged my persnickety truck. And just like that, it started.

With a renewed surge of hope, I put it in gear, backed out of the driveway, and took off down the street, not putting on my headlights until I was far enough away from the house.

As I drove through the neighboring streets, I’d half expected to see dead bodies, but instead was surprised by how calm everything was. No bodies, no walking dead, not even any neighbors coming or going, which really wasn’t that odd after midnight, although tonight, everything felt ominous.

Trying to stay calm, I turned on the radio. There was nothing but static.

Should’ve brought my iPod, I thought, shutting it off.

About four blocks away, I noticed Hannah’s truck parked recklessly in the middle of the street. It was yellow with streaks of blood splashed across the bumper and hood. I drove around it cautiously, expecting to see her dead husband jumping out of it and coming for me. But thankfully, it was empty.

As I neared the first major intersection, I saw movement out of the corner of my eye. I really didn’t think too much about it until I slowed down for the stop sign and a bushy-haired male zombie rushed my truck. It then crawled onto my hood while I watched, totally transfixed by its actions.

The zombie’s face contorted grotesquely and it let out a dreadful moan. I recoiled in horror as it stared hungrily at me with its insanely red eyes. He then pressed his mouth against the window and began licking the glass, as if it were trying to somehow taste me through it. The slimy residue its blackened tongue left behind was enough to make me gag as well as get me moving. I stomped my foot on the gas, thinking I might be able to shake him off, but my truck had other ideas; it gasped, sputtered and then stalled.

I locked eyes with the zombie, who seemed aware of what just happened. Its grayish lips curled up into a sneer, as if mocking me, which made me furious. I raised my middle finger and flipped him off, hoping he’d understand what that meant, too.

When that obviously didn’t get me anywhere, I restarted the engine, this time pressing much more gently on the gas. When the truck started moving I wanted to cheer, but the zombie was still holding onto the hood of my truck, putting a damper on my victory.

“Get off!” I screamed, but the zombie only stared at me with a cannibalistic yearning.

I gave the pedal more gas and watched the speedometer go up, but the zombie still held tight, its brown hair blowing wildly in the wind.

Screw it. I pressed the gas to the floorboard, not too worried about oncoming traffic. This time I felt a surge of exhilaration as the zombie tumbled off the side of the hood and onto the pavement. I held my breath until I couldn’t see it in my rearview mirror and then let out a shaky sigh. I’d just survived round two against the zombies.

I calmed myself down and continued on toward Paige’s, noting several abandoned vehicles on just about every road I took. It was so surreal and I started feeling as if I was the lone survivor in a bad horror flick. Even though I was terrified, thoughts of my little sister kept pushing me forward.

When I finally arrived at Hillshire Commons, the posh gated community where Paige lives, I noticed the security station was vacant and the entrance was open. I drove through it warily, searching the streets for zombies, not wanting any more leaping onto my truck. I held my breath for the entire four blocks, and heaved a sigh of relief when I made it up Paige’s cobblestone driveway without any obstacles.

The house appeared dark and ominous. My hands began to shake uncontrollably, imagining what I might possibly find inside. As I grabbed my truck keys out of the ignition, they slipped out of my quivering hands and fell onto the floor mat, so I bent down and picked them. When I sat back up, two pairs of red bloodshot eyes stared at me through the window. I screamed in holy terror.

13

When I finally stopped screaming my head off, I took a deep breath and assessed the situation. Two zombies were feeling around the outside of my truck, trying desperately to get to me. They were hideous and hungry; they were also out there and I was still somewhat safe in my truck.

“Scat! Go away!” I hollered, raising my gun.

One of them, an obese zombie wearing pajamas, cocked his head, staring at me like I was some kind of delectable appetizer. Blood coagulated from where his nose used to be and I shuddered in revulsion.

The other zombie was frothing at the mouth. She was a rail-thin, revolting creature who must have been taking a bath or something when she changed into a zombie. I could only presume this since she was stark naked, wearing only a plastic cap. This creature was growling and clawing frantically at my driver’s side window. She didn’t appear to be wounded, but she had the tell-tale zombie eyes, and her skin was gray and mottled.

I knew my situation wasn’t good, so I decided to wait a few minutes, to see if the two zombies would lose interest and eventually wander off. But then the skinny female started beating on the window with her hands and I became paranoid about the window shattering. So I decided to try a different approach; I screamed at them, to see if they’d get confused and possibly leave me alone. It was a shot in the dark… that totally missed.

Both zombies froze and stared at me as I screamed with all my might. I thought I was doing good and kept screaming until the female let out a high-pitched screech that made my cries sound like whispers. Then, in horror, I realized her screech caught the attention of other zombies in the area, who were now coming to join the party.

Cursing, I moved to the passenger side of my truck and opened the door.

The male zombie began slobbering on himself as he staggered around the truck toward me. I aimed my trembling right hand and shot him in the head. Rancid zombie brains colored the pavement.

“Oh, God.” I shuddered, resisting the urge to vomit. I looked toward the female, who was also moving toward me. “Listen, you’re next if you come any further,” I warned her.

She snarled and then leaped at me, but not before I shot her between the eyes.

Sensing the other zombies in the neighborhood getting closer, I grabbed the flashlight from my glove compartment and rushed toward the front door. Unfortunately, it was locked.

Ring the doorbell? It was certainly worth a shot. I figured a zombie wouldn’t have enough sense to open the door, let alone unlock it. Plus, if one of the girls were still alive, she’d open it for me.

A hairy chested, boxer short sporting grandpa zombie growled at me from the edge of the lawn and I knew I couldn’t wait any longer. I ran to the side of the house and tried the tall wooden gate. Luckily it was unlocked. I entered the backyard and did a quick scan of the swimming pool, using my flashlight. There was no sign of blood, just wet towels, snacks, and a couple of floating chairs still drifting in the water. I decided to check out the house and went through the open patio door to the kitchen, where I found a cast-iron frying pan lying on the ground and a few missing knives from the butcher block. Then, I caught sight of something dark and red splattered on the marbled kitchen island. As I moved closer to the stain with my flashlight, I let out a shaky sigh of relief; pizza sauce.

Wiping the perspiration from my forehead, I decided to move on. Their house was massive, over ten thousand square feet, and I knew I had a lot of ground to cover, so I started with the obvious: Kylie’s bedroom. Right away, I found Allie’s pink leather purse and overnight bag sitting on a futon, but no other signs of either girl.

Next, I made my way to Paige’s room, which she liked to call her “wing.” She had her own bathroom with a whirlpool tub, walk-in closet, and even her own personal reading room. By chance I found her new iPhone sticking out from under the bed, as if she’d carelessly dropped it. I put it in my pocket and continued searching the entire house with the flashlight. After I scoured every room in the house, including the theater room and upper level where Kristie and Dan slept, my eyes began to fill with frustrated tears; the place appeared deserted and I had no idea what to do next. As I trudged back downstairs to the kitchen, my phone began to vibrate. I cringed when I saw who it was.

“Thank God! What in the hell were you thinking, girl?” yelled Sara.

I cleared my throat. “Look, I have to find my sister, she needs me. If it was your sister, you’d do the same. You know I’m right.”

She was silent for a minute then sighed. “Yes, you are. So…  have you found her yet?”

“No,” I replied sadly.

“Well maybe they’ve all escaped?”

“God, I can only hope so. Listen, have you heard anything at all from my mom, dad, or Bryce?” I asked.

Another pause, then, “No, Cassie, I’m sorry.”

I closed my eyes and let out a shaky breath. “Okay, well look, I’m going to keep searching. Call me if you hear from anyone in my family. Bye.” I hung up before she could start in on me again about returning home.

I put my head in my hands and tried thinking about where Allie and the others could have possibly gone. I felt like I was missing something and it was driving me crazy. Then it hit me like a sledgehammer, the new safe-room! It was a family shelter that wasn’t supposed to be finished for a couple of months, but it would still be a good place to hide. Paige had mentioned that it was in the wine cellar, so I ran back downstairs to the lower level and began looking. It was supposed to be hidden at the very back of the wine cabinets.

“Yes,” I squealed when I located the entrance, it looked like an ordinary panel wall with a keypad attached. As I raised my hand to pound on the wall, it opened.

14

“Thank God!” I cried, standing face to face with my best friend. Although it was obvious that Paige was relieved to see me, the haunted expression in her eyes spoke volumes. She collapsed into my arms and sobbed.

“Paige, where’s Allie?” I asked, trying to look beyond her into the safe-room. Unfortunately, she appeared to be alone.

She shook her head as the tears streamed down her face. “I… I don’t know!” she cried.

I wanted to shake her but instead forced myself to remain calm; we’d all been through our own kind of hell the last few hours. “What do you mean?” I asked slowly.

“I don’t know! Allie and Kylie ran away. They were going to try and get help,” she cried through her tears. “I don’t even know where my mom is!”

“Okay, calm down and start from the beginning. What happened?”

Her light green eyes grew large. “It was my stepdad, Dan. He turned into some kind of freak! He tried to fucking bite me. Then my mom… she whacked him with a frying pan. But he… he kept coming toward me with these… horrible red eyes. Mom told me to run, so I did! I ran away and have been hiding here ever since. God, I’m so scared!” she sobbed.

“Paige, I didn’t see anyone else in the house.”

“Well, where’s my mom? She just wouldn’t leave me. They’ve just got to be here somewhere!”

“Paige, it’s okay. We’ll find them, somehow,” I replied softly. “Listen, do you have anything to drink? I could really use some caffeine.” I’d been up for almost twenty-four hours and was finally feeling the effects.

She pulled me inside. The hidden room was larger than my entire bedroom. It held a black leather sectional, an arsenal of electronic equipment, and a fully-stocked refrigerator. I grabbed a soda and walked over to the surveillance cameras.

“Do these things work?” I asked.

“No, I’ve already tried. They hadn’t finished installing them yet.”

I sighed. “Well, at least you’ve got the generator, and didn’t have to sit in the dark.”

She nodded and then stared vacantly. “What should we do?”

“Well, do you have any weapons?” I asked.

“What… what do you mean?”

I pulled out the Beretta I had tucked behind my back. “Well, I lost my sectional staff when I was searching your house, but I still have this. You’re going to need something to defend yourself, too, just in case.”

Her eyes narrowed. “From… Dan?”

Crap. She didn’t know about the zombies.

***

“Paige?” I’d just recounted my last few hours to her. The expression on her face was unreadable. “Are you okay?”

“You’ve got to be kidding,” she finally said. “That’s just plain nuts.”

“Believe me, I wish I was. Do you really think I’d make something like that up?”

Paige shook her head but I could tell she was still having major doubts. It was crazy for me to imagine and I’d lived through it.

I shrugged. “Well, you’ll find out soon enough. Do you have a baseball bat or something you can hit zombies with?”

She looked at me like I’d lost my mind.

“In my room,” she muttered.

We grabbed a second flashlight and hurried to Paige’s bedroom. She took out a metal baseball bat and two softball helmets, one pink and one black.

“Great idea!” I said, putting on the black helmet. “Okay, now stay close to me. I haven’t seen any zombies in your house but there’s a ton of walking dead on the streets.”

She put on the pink helmet and I handed her the bat.

“Wow, I love your nails,” she said suddenly, grabbing my left hand.

I looked down. “Yeah, they look really sexy when I’m shooting at a zombie,” I replied dryly.

Her jaw dropped. “Oh, my God…you really had to use the gun?”

My cell phone started to ring. It was Sara again.

I sighed. “Hi, Sara.”

“It’s Bryce. Where are you at?” he demanded.

I was racked with so many emotions that my knees gave out. I sank to the ground. “Oh, thank God!” I gasped. “I… I didn’t know what happened to you.”

“I’m fine,” he replied sternly. “Stay where you are and I’ll come get you. Are you still at Paige’s?”

Before I had a chance to respond, Paige gasped in horror and backed into me.

“What?” I turned and dropped the phone.

Two zombies stood at the entrance of her bedroom. The smell emitting from them rose like a wave of rotting garbage.

“Holy crap,” said Paige in a strangled voice.

The moon was shining through her bedroom window, giving us a pretty good view of the zombies. One of them, a skinny half-naked man with white curly hair, made an ugly gurgling noise and then curled its lower lip, as if smiling. There was blood dripping from his rotting face and he held what looked the remains of someone’s arm. He tossed it to the ground and staggered toward us.

The next thing I knew, Paige let out some kind of ferocious battle cry, then lifted the metal bat and swung high, bashing the zombie smack in the middle of its skull. Before I could react, she raised it again, this time hitting a solid home run on the creature’s head. It dropped to the ground with a loud, sickening thud.

The other zombie, a muscular bald guy with skull tattoos all over his head, growled at us.

I raised my gun to shoot him, but the Berretta jammed. “For the love of God,” I mumbled trying repeatedly to shoot it.

“Hold on!” Paige snapped as she tried to dislodge the bat from the other zombie.

But skull-head just couldn’t wait; he staggered eagerly toward me, white froth foaming from his mouth. Fortunately for me he was terribly slow, with very little coordination. I stepped out of his line of attack and he fell to the ground. When he finally lifted himself back up, I jumped into the air and did a hard side kick; my foot catching him in the throat. He fell backward onto Paige’s jewelry box and that’s when all hell broke loose.

Paige’s face turned red and she screamed in fury. “Get your ugly ass off of my grandmother’s jewelry box, you piece of dead rotting meat!!!” Then she kicked the zombie onto the floor and stomped the sharp heel of her new Jimmy Choo boot onto its face until it was just a bloody mass of gore.

I stared at her in shock as she wiped the perspiration off of her forehead, then grabbed a towel and began cleaning off her boot.

When I finally found my voice, I said, “So, I guess you believe me now?”

She closed her eyes and leaned back against the wall. “You know, all I could think about when I saw them was that I wasn’t ready to die. Not by their hands.”

I nodded. “I’ve felt the same way all night.”

She looked at me. “So, who was on the phone?”

“Bryce!” I groaned.

I knew before I picked up my phone that he was gone. I hit redial and waited but nobody answered, it went straight to voicemail. I left a message.

“Nothing?” asked Paige.

“No,” I stood up and sighed. “Let’s go.” I picked up my gun and sure enough, chipped another nail.

15

Paige and I went over every inch of the house again, but couldn’t find signs of anyone. Not even Zombie Dan.

“Did you check in the back by the pool?” she asked.

I nodded. “That’s where I entered. The patio door was open.”

“Let me guess, you didn’t close it after you entered and that’s how dead and deader found their way in?” she asked with a wry smile.

“At least there were only two of them. You should have seen how many are prowling the streets outside.”

Her smile faded. “Great.”

We stepped cautiously through the kitchen and over to the sliding glass door. To our dismay we found the pool area climbing with zombies. There had to be a dozen walking aimlessly round the pool, some falling into the water and sinking to the bottom. Fortunately, none of them took any notice of us.

I snorted. “This could almost be funny if it wasn’t really happening to us.”

“Holy crap,” she mumbled. “I think I’m going to puke.”

The smell of rotting skin was overwhelming. Resisting an urge to vomit myself, I slid the door closed and looked at Paige. “Wow, you didn’t invite me to your pool party. That hurts.”

Paige groaned. “All jokes aside, we’re screwed.”

“At least the sun’s starting to come out, they’re easier to see.”

She shivered. “And how’s that supposed to make it better for us?”

“Yeah, they aren’t pretty, especially the ones who’ve been dead for a while.”

Paige’s eyes lit up. “Hey, did you ever check the cabana?”

I shook my head. “No, I didn’t even think about checking that place, I just wanted to get inside the house.”

“We’d better check it out, now. How do we get past those things?” she asked.

“Well, maybe we can create some kind of distraction in the front of the yard to draw them away from the pool?”

Just then, we heard the faint sounds of gunshots. The zombies must have heard it as well, because they began moving idly toward the gate. When the last of them were no longer in sight, I nudged Paige.

“Let’s go,” I said.

I slid the glass door open and we stepped outside. The cabana was on the other side of the pool and we could hear more gunshots as we made our way to the entrance. Paige pulled open the door and we crept inside. It was empty.

Paige took off her softball helmet and sat down. “I thought for sure… Oh, God… where in the hell are they?” she moaned, putting her head in her hands.

I knew her pain. All I could think of about in that moment was my little sister. A memory flashed through my mind of when she was three or four years old, how she would follow me everywhere in her beat-up pink cowgirl boots, that were usually on the wrong feet, begging me to sleep in her room. I’d eventually relent, then grumble the entire night about having to watch her princess movies and the way she’d toss and turn as she slept, kicking me in the back. But right now, I would do anything to go back to that time.

I released a breath and squeezed her shoulder. “Let’s go and find out where that gunfire was coming from.”

Paige nodded, brushing away the tears from her face.

We opened the cabana door and stared in horror; the zombies were back and they brought dates. We were trapped and surrounded.

“Okay, now what?” she whispered.

Just as I opened my mouth, I saw a figure stepping through the sliding glass door. My heart leaped with joy when I recognized the loveable scowling face. Bryce! He’d actually come for me!

“It’s Bryce!” I shouted.

The shuffling and groaning of the zombies ceased; you couldn’t hear a bone drop. Everyone, including the zombies, turned toward us.

“Nice going,” said Paige dryly.

Bryce lifted his automatic rifle. “Get down!” he demanded.

Paige and I crouched down as he began shooting at the zombies. I pulled out my gun and aimed at the ones nearest to us. Blood, mucous, and body parts were flying everywhere as we watched all of the carnage in a twisted kind of glory. The dead got deader and we lived another hour in this hideous nightmare.

Paige shuddered. “Okay, this is totally disgusting.”

“I can’t believe he’s actually here,” I said, reloading the Beretta. The butterflies were going crazy in my stomach again. I didn’t even care that I broke a third nail. I flicked it aside and decided the rest would come off immediately when I got home.

“Only you would fall in love during a zombie massacre,” said Paige.

I shook my head. “I’m not in love with him. I hardly even know him.”

“Face it! You’ve definitely got a thing for him.”

I took off the softball helmet. “He’s cute, sure, but he’s also a little annoying.”

She shrugged. “He’s a guy.”

When the last of the zombies lay twisted and broken on the ground, Bryce jogged over to us. He was still wearing what he’d had on the last time I’d seen him, but it was now covered with blood and gore. Part of me wanted Bryce to sweep me up into his arms and carry me to safety, while another part wanted him to burn the disgusting shirt first.

“Are you girls okay?” he asked in his deep voice. I’d almost forgotten how amazingly blue his eyes were.

“We’re fine. Still haven’t found Allie and Paige’s mom or sister, though,” I answered.

Bryce looked up at our helmets with the hint of a smile. “Nice touch.”

Paige’s eyes grew wide and she nodded. “It was my idea, so they can’t get to our brains.”

He bit the side of his lip to keep from cracking up and looked back at the house. “So, you’ve checked everywhere, the entire house; basement; garage?”

Paige and I looked at each other.

“Garage,” we said in unison. Neither of had even considered the garage.

“Missed the garage? Okay, stay behind me and do exactly what I tell you.”

Bryce started walking toward the side door to the garage, which was next to the cabana.

Paige checked out his rear and gave me a “thumbs-up” approval.

I smiled and shoved her forward.

Bryce twisted the doorknob to the garage. “It’s locked. Stand back,” he said. He then lifted his rifle and blasted a hole into it.

“Sorry, I’ll pay you back for that,” he said with a cocky grin. He then kicked the door open and the smell of decay hit us like a sledgehammer. It was also dark, so he grabbed his flashlight and raised the gun.

“Oh, my God, it’s Dan!” screamed Paige.

Zombie Dan was hovering around a new black Escalade. His gray face was sunken and his skin was beginning to rot. He started shuffling slowly toward us, his dried-up lips pulled back in a deathly grin.

Bryce aimed the gun at Dan, wiping away the creepy smile. He toppled to the ground, hard.

“This might seem cold, but I never liked him,” muttered Paige. “He was really an arrogant jerk.”

“Looks like he was alone,” I said, looking around.

“No, someone’s in the SUV,” Bryce replied, stepping toward the vehicle. “Yep, a couple of females.”

Paige and I rushed over; it was Kristie and Kylie! The windows were up and they were lounging in the front seats. There wasn’t any sign of Allie.

“Mom! Wake up!” Paige cried removing her helmet. She began pounding on the window but neither of them budged.

“Hold on,” said Bryce. He went to the back window and broke the glass. Unlocking the door, he climbed in and shook Kristie’s shoulder.

Kristie’s eyes flew open and she screamed at Bryce, who probably looked like a mad serial killer in his bloody shirt.

Bryce chuckled as he climbed back out of the SUV. “Wow, I’ve never had that reaction from a female before.”

Kristie’s face lit up when she noticed Paige through the window. She removed the iPod earphones she wore and shook Kylie, who was also listening to music, until she was awake. Then she got out. Drawing her arms around Paige, she cried, “Oh, thank God you’re okay!”

“Um, where’s Allie?” I asked in a strangled voice.

“We don’t know,” Kristie said, letting go of Paige. “Dan attacked us and she took off running.”

I heaved a sigh. “Alone?”

“Yeah, I don’t know where she went. I ran after Kylie who ran toward the garage. That’s when Paige disappeared, as well as your sister.”

I turned away and the dam broke. The pain of losing my sister was so great that I couldn’t stop the tears. I knew it would be nearly impossible for Allie to survive on her own in this nightmare. There were so many zombies in the neighborhood and Allie was no match for them. She couldn’t fire a gun or fight them one on one. She definitely wasn’t strong enough.

Bryce pulled me into his arms and held me while I cried. When I finally ran out of tears, I remembered that everyone standing before me had lost someone within the last few hours, maybe even Bryce. I’d never even asked about Bobby.

“I’m sorry,” I hiccupped, pushing Bryce away. “I didn’t even ask about your brother. We’re all going through this, not just me. I’m really sorry.”

He grabbed my hand and squeezed it gently. “Bobby’s fine and so was everyone else when I left them at your house.”

“What about my parents? Where they home?” Deep down, I already knew that answer. They were both lost somewhere in this nightmare.

He sighed. “I’m sorry, Cassie; they weren’t around when I got back there. But they’re very capable people from what I’ve heard. Don’t give up on them, okay?”

I nodded slowly.

Kristie walked over and wrapped her arms around me. “I’m so sorry, honey. Dan just went nuts and chased us into the garage. I had to lock him out of the SUV so he wouldn’t hurt me or Kylie.”

“It’s not your fault,” I sighed.

“Yes, it is,” Kristie stated and threw up her hands. “You know, I just have the worst luck with men. The first one I married was a jerk and this one turned out to be a psychotic maniac. Anyway, we’ll find her. She got away from Dan. He’s been here the entire time so he couldn’t have hurt her.”

She looked so optimistic that it hit me; she had no idea what was happening in the outside world. “Oh… you don’t know,” I said breathlessly.

Kristie shrugged. “Know what?”

“Show her,” said Paige.

Bryce grabbed his gun and walked back to where we’d come in. He stuck his head outside and then motioned for Kristie.

Puzzled, she walked over and had her first glimpse of the carnage that was left from the zombie pool party massacre. She placed a hand over her mouth in horror. “Holy shit!”

16

Bryce and I locked the gate this time to keep any other new zombies from wandering in.

“I wonder how they happened to know we’re here?” I said to him as we watched more begin to navigate toward the house.

He shrugged. “Not sure, but I think we should get going soon. It’s too dangerous staying here.”

I nodded, trying not to breathe in the horrible smell. The smell of the rotting flesh was so pungent that I decided to ask Kristie for some Vicks to rub under my nose. I’d heard it was great for masking raunchy smells.

We returned to the house and closed the blinds so we wouldn’t have to view all the corpses outside. It was getting warmer outside and now the flies were beginning to hover around the dead.

“Nothing on television yet,” mumbled Paige, throwing the remote control. Bryce had been able to locate the house’s main generator, so there was power again.

“Anyone hungry?” asked Kristie as she opened up the fridge. “I’m starving. Even those nasty zombie bodies outside can’t ruin this appetite.”

I wasn’t really hungry but needed the energy from the food. “Sure,” I said.

“Well, the ham still looks good,” she commented as she sniffed it. She placed it on the counter and took out some bread. “I can make sandwiches. Sorry, Wild, I’m out of pickles.”

I smiled. “That’s fine.”

Kristie made sandwiches for everyone while I gave her a recap of what I understood about the zombies. They were insatiable cadavers who would do anything for a good meal. And we were definitely the main course. At least that was my version.

Bryce’s reasoning was a little more scientific and straight from one of his military buddies. Those millions of people who received the flu vaccine were given a death sentence. The theory was that the vaccine caused some type of severe neurological damage; destroying what is the humane part of the brain. Eventually it begins to destroy tissue in other parts of the body including muscle and other major organs; basically, creating a walking vegetable. One with a ravenous appetite for protein, lots of it. He wasn’t sure if they were really considered zombies, but they were definitely something out of a horror movie.

“Is the military going to be able to contain these things?” asked Kristie.

“Most of the military are zombies by now, they were pretty much required to have the vaccine. The few remaining soldiers who didn’t get the vaccine have their hands full as it is. The point is, we’re pretty much on our own.”

“How long does it take for someone to turn into a zombie?” whispered Kylie. It was the first time she’d spoken since we’d found them. Kristie put her arm around her.

“Not sure, although I think everyone is different, depending on their body mass. My aunt received the vaccine and it took only twenty-four hours for her to change, she’s pretty small. I’ve heard that others took much longer.”

“Wasn’t your aunt caring for your mom?” I asked Bryce.

His lips grew thin and he nodded.

“Did you see your aunt when she was a zombie?” asked Kristie.

“Unfortunately, I did. After work, I went to check on my mother to see if she was doing any better. She’d refused any medication at the clinic, including the vaccine. She never believed in the flu vaccinations, that’s why Bobby and I have never had shots either. Personally, I think she just avoided any kind of medical attention because of her drinking problem. Anyway, when I got home, let’s just say they were both gone, but for different reasons.”

“I’m sorry,” I replied softly.

He shrugged then got up from the table to grab a bottle of water. His eyes were misty and he gazed out the window while the rest of us finished our sandwiches.

“So, can the zombies infect others?” asked Paige, breaking the silence.

Bryce cleared his throat and looked over. “The military believes that they can infect others. So try not to get bitten.”

“God, I’d give anything for a cigarette right now,” mumbled Kristie as she rubbed her chin.

Paige’s jaw dropped. “Mom, you quit two years ago. Control yourself.”

“Well, I think there’s a better chance of getting killed by a zombie right now than dying of lung cancer,” she replied dryly.

I pushed myself up from the table. “I need to use your bathroom. Do you have any Vicks vapor rub?”

Kristie looked at me strangely. “Go ahead. There’s some in the vanity.”

“What? It helps mask the smell of rotting dead people,” I explained.

She smiled with amusement. “Good thinking. How’d you come up with that?”

“CSI,” I said matter-of-factly.

“I see. Did you know that cigarette smoke can also mask different types of smells? Bryce… do you happen to smoke?”

“Mom!” groaned Paige.

I smiled as I went to the bathroom down the hall. When I closed the door, I noticed Allie’s favorite T-shirt was hanging on the back. It was bright pink with the words “Dare to Dance” scrolled on the front. She’d worn it constantly at home.

I sighed. I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you, I thought, grabbing the shirt. When I closed my eyes, I could still smell her favorite lotion, some type of strawberry scent. I slid to the ground and closed my eyes, trying not to cry. Before long, someone began knocking softly on the door.

“Cassie? Are you okay?” asked Bryce.

I cleared my throat. “Yes, sorry. I’ll be out in a minute.”

He paused. “Okay.”

I stood up and caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. My hair was in disarray, streaks of mascara lined my face, and my tank top was covered in something I didn’t even want to consider. Sighing, I washed my face, neck, and hands, then removed my tank top. I slipped on my sister’s shirt, wanting to be closer to her. Then, I combed out my hair, grabbed the jar of Vicks, and went back into the kitchen.

Kylie smiled sadly. “That’s Allie’s shirt.”

I touched it and nodded.

Bryce looked down at his own shirt and frowned. “You wouldn’t happen to have anything I can change into?”

Kristie snorted. “You could definitely use a new shirt. Let me find you something. I have some new T-shirts in the closet down the hall. Throw that nasty thing away and follow me.”

“Thanks,” he replied, removing his shirt, displaying perfectly defined muscles and a hard, flat stomach.

“Work out much, Bryce?” asked Kristie as she led him out of the kitchen.

I couldn’t help staring as he walked away. The word “chiseled” didn’t do him justice.

“Wow,” whispered Paige. “That dude’s got one smokin’ body.”

I shrugged. “Yeah, it’s not bad.”

Paige snorted and pushed me playfully. “You’re such a horrible liar.”

“Fine, okay, it was pretty… spectacular.”

“You know, I think he’s graduated from being your karate instructor. The rules have changed.” She sighed and looked out the window. “The world’s changed.”

I pushed my hair behind my ears. “Well, a relationship isn’t really at the top of my ‘to-do’ list right now.”

“I’m just saying…”

Bryce and Kristie walked back into the kitchen. This time he was covered in a new white T-shirt.

“Sorry, girls, I had to cover him up so he wouldn’t distract the female zombies.”

“Or the gay ones,” replied Kylie.

Kristie’s jaw dropped.

“You know, you ladies are starting to make me feel really uncomfortable,” said Bryce with a straight face.

“Kylie? What do you know about being gay?” asked her mother.

“Mom, I learned about sex in fifth grade. Come on!” she replied.

“Okay, seriously… what do we do now?” asked Paige.

“Well, I want to check around the neighborhood,” I stated. “I need to find out what happened to Allie. Find out if she’s trapped out there somewhere, and needs help.”

Bryce nodded. “I’m coming with you.”

“I think we should all stick together,” said Kristie. “If there are zombies walking the streets, we need each other.”

“That’s a good idea,” replied Bryce

Kristie grabbed her keys. “Let’s all pack into the Escalade and go for a drive then.”

We found a large cooler and filled it with water, soda, chips, and granola bars. Bryce and I grabbed our guns while Paige grabbed her metal bat.

“This might come in handy,” said Kristie, holding up a war hammer she’d found in the garage. It had a sharp spike in the back and hammer head. It looked pretty deadly.

“Yeah, that could do some damage,” I agreed. “Where’d you find that thing?”

“From this renaissance convention that Dan visited last year. He collects medieval stuff like that. Or… he did, rather,” said Kristie. Her eyes became moist and she smiled sadly. “Poor Dan. He was a little bit of a dork, but I loved the man. He didn’t deserve to die this way.”

“Nobody deserves this,” I said.

Kristie cleared her throat. “I’ll let you drive,” she said to Bryce, handing him the keys. “I’m not sure how rational I’ll be if I see one of those things on the street.”

It turned out that the street was crawling with zombies, some of them walking around aimlessly in a state of confusion, while others were actually attacking their own kind. From what I could tell, the zombies that were at a farther stage of decomposing seemed to be the most vicious. They’d actually feed on zombies that looked like they’d just turned, somehow sensing that their victims still had some fresh protein available.

“How in the hell are we going to get out of here? I can’t imagine they’ll just move out of the way for us,” said Kristie.

“We’re not going around them,” said Bryce tightening his grip on the steering wheel. “We’re going through them. Sorry, Kristie, but you may need a little body repair after this.”

Kristie snorted. “Just get us out of here safely, screw the paint job. Dan’s not going to be around to complain about any scratches.”

“Okay, everyone, keep your windows up and lock your doors,” he said.

We started driving slowly onto the road toward the crowd of zombies who were beginning to take notice of us. As we approached, some actually did move out of the way while others decided to get a closer look.

“It’s odd how some are pretty docile while others are so violent,” Paige said.

“I think it depends on what stage there at,” I replied. “The ones who are crazy and more violent have probably been zombies longer. At least that’s my opinion.”

“Now we know why some of them are so bloody and torn apart. They’ve been attacking each other, too,” said Kristie, who looked rather ill.

When we reached a point where we couldn’t move the SUV anymore, zombies were standing all around the vehicle, running their hands all over it. Some stared with longing at us and eventually began climbing onto the hood.

Bryce sighed. “Okay, I’ve had enough of this. Close your eyes if you have a weak stomach, kids.”

The SUV barreled forward, jerking some of the zombies off of the hood. I covered my ears to block out the groans of the zombies and the sounds of their bones crunching under the tires.

“Oh, my God,” gasped Kristie, holding firmly onto the dashboard. “This is… I’m going to throw up!”

“No!” cried Kylie. “Don’t throw up or you’ll make me do it too.”

When we finally got past the mob of zombies, we drove down several streets to try and find my sister. Most of the neighborhoods were quiet, without any signs of life. Even the park was empty. It was frustrating and I knew there was no way we could search all of the homes, it was too dangerous. When our gas tank started getting low and the zombies started getting even more zealous, we had to leave.

“Sorry, Cassie. I wish there was more we could do to find your sister,” said Bryce.

“Me too,” I sighed, looking out the window toward the community’s front entrance gate.

“Hey,” Kristie gasped, pointing ahead of us. “There’s someone trying to run over there. Oh, my God, it’s a girl and she needs some help!”

My heart began to pound and I opened my window to see if it was my sister. Unfortunately it wasn’t, but I did recognize the mass of vibrant red hair.

“Eva King,” I mumbled.

17

“Is she a zombie?” asked Paige, lifting her bat.

I snorted. “No.”

Paige sighed and laid her head back against the seat. “Do we really have to stop?”

“Paige…” said Kristie, looking back at her. “That’s not nice.”

Two zombies were edging closer to Eva, who looked annoyed more than anything. In one arm she held a pink dog carrier and in the other an oversized Louis Vuitton tote bag.

“Stay here,” Bryce said as we skidded to a halt. He jumped out of the SUV carrying his rifle, and in less than five seconds, both zombies lay motionless on the ground and Eva looked like she’d just found Jesus. She stared with adoration at Bryce as he lowered his gun and moved toward her.

“Would you look at Eva? She’s smiling at your man like he’s a bowl of cream and she’s a cat dying of thirst,” said Paige dryly.

“Paige, he’s not my man. Besides, she’s just thanking him,” I replied. I had to admit, though, I felt a twinge of jealously when she threw her arms around him and kissed his cheek.

Paige raised her hands in exasperation. “There you go! She just left her nasty, smelly mark on him.”

Kristie chuckled. “Okay, enough, Paige.”

I watched as Bryce took the dog carrier and she leaned on him for support as they made their way back to the SUV.

“Hi, Eva,” said Paige with a smirk when Bryce opened the back door. “Did you hurt your ankle?”

Eva blinked in confusion. “Paige?” she said, biting her lower lip. “Yes, I think I sprained it back there.”

“You can sit in the third row seating,” Paige said as she adjusted the seat to let her in. “With your cat.”

“Oh, okay. This is Chi Chi, he’s actually a Chihuahua,” she replied, climbing in.

I turned around and faced Eva, who, as usual, was draped in expensive designer clothing and overpriced heels. She must have gotten up early to do her hair and makeup, because she looked the total opposite of me; fresh and feminine.

“Hi, Eva,” I said. “Poor little guy’s been through a lot I bet.” Chi Chi appeared to be trembling more than any animal I’d ever seen.

“Oh God, yes,” Eva said, rolling her eyes. “This has been the worst morning of my life! My mom’s chauffer was supposed to pick me up a half hour ago and take me to the airport. Obviously that incompetent idiot didn’t show up. My mom isn’t answering any calls, which is so typical of her when something goes wrong and I need her. I was so frustrated that my eyes started watering and I lost both of contact lenses. Then, finally, I almost get mugged by those two creeps! I was so scared. I don’t know what would have happened if you all hadn’t shown up.”

“So you didn’t get a good look at those two guys?” I asked incredulously.

She wrinkled her nose. “No but they smelled horrible and were making some really disgusting noises. Thank goodness your cute friend stopped in time. If you ask me, they deserved what they got.” She lowered her voice to a whisper. “You know, I think they were going to rape me.”

I looked at Paige who was biting her lip to keep from laughing. I shot her a look and then turned to Eva. “Eva? What were you doing over in this area anyway?”

“We just moved into my mom’s fiancé’s house across the street over there,” she said, motioning to a giant colonial. “I was on my way to speak with the security guard in the booth when those two hoodlums started racing toward me. I don’t think I’ve ever been so scared in my life.”

It was clear that Eva had no idea what had happened in the last twenty-four hours. I knew someone had to let her know, and Paige was having too much fun listening to her to set her straight. I took a deep breath and began telling her the truth.

She interrupted me right away. “Excuse me? Have you completely lost your mind, Cassie?”

“No, she’s telling the truth,” replied Bryce from the front seat.

Eva stared in alarm at Bryce and then closed her eyes. She took a deep breath and then released it slowly.

“Okay…” she replied breathlessly, “well, I would be more inclined to believe you since you were carrying a gun and clearly saved my life. Plus, those freaks did smell absolutely horrible. What was your name again?”

“It’s Bryce,” I answered for him with clenched teeth. The fact that she thought I was lying really pissed me off.

Eva’s attention turned back to me. “Well, you may as well continue with your little story.”

“Story? It’s the facts, Eva,” snapped Paige.

“Okay, let’s just relax,” said Kristie. “It’s hard to accept what has happened and we’ve seen it with our own eyes. So imagine how difficult it is for Eva to believe.”

Paige shrugged.

Kristie’s eyes softened. “Honey,” she said. “Here are the facts; that new flu vaccine has created zombies, okay? You’re lucky we found you because you and Chi Chi… you were next on the menu. If not for the two zombies, then for the dead army coming up behind us. Holy crap! Bryce, step on it!!”

We all turned to the back window as Bryce peeled away. Hundreds of zombies were heading our way.

***

We decided to drive back to my house to check on Bobby and the others.

“Well,” said Kristie, shutting off her phone. “Thankfully my brother was in town visiting my mom when the zombies struck because she would have been all alone. They’re at the cabin now and didn’t have a clue as to what was going on. I told him the girls and I would head out there after we drop everyone off.”

“Are you sure you want to risk driving around by yourselves?” asked Bryce.

“You’re all free to join us if you’d like. It’s only about an hour north of here.”

I didn’t say anything. My mom, dad, and sister were all missing and that’s all I could think about at the moment.

“Eva? Are you okay?” asked Kristie.

Eva was staring out the window. After replacing her contacts and getting her first real glimpse of the zombies wandering the streets, she’d been horrified of how close she’d been to death.

I touched her shoulder gently. “Eva?”

She turned to me with tears in her eyes. “Um, sorry… I just don’t really know what to do at this point. I’m just so worried about my mom.”

“Do you have anyone else you can call? Your dad or a grandparent?” I asked.

She shook her head. “No. My father is somewhere in Asia. I haven’t spoken to him in years. All my grandparents are dead. It’s just me and Chi Chi.”

“Did your mom get the vaccine?” I asked.

“No. Neither of us did.”

All of a sudden Bryce slammed on the brakes and we all lurched forward in our seats.

“What the heck?” I yelled at him.

“Stay here,” he said and jumped out of the SUV with his rifle.

“Oh, good God! Look at that poor puppy!” cried Kristie.

Several zombies were closing in on a young golden retriever. The dog was on a leash that appeared to be tangled on a rickety fence in front of an old church. Its frantic barking must have temporarily confused the zombies because they were staying back, although I knew it wouldn’t be long before their hunger drove them closer.

“Don’t worry, I’m sure Bryce will save that poor little dog,” said Eva.

Bryce raised his rifle and started shooting.

“Look!” pointed Kylie. “More zombies are coming from behind that trailer!”

A motorhome was parked in a neighboring driveway and Bryce was about to be attacked by a larger pack of zombies.

“I’m going to help. Lock the door behind me,” I said.

Luckily Bryce had fixed my gun and it was ready to go again. I opened the door and jumped out. “Bryce, watch out behind you!” I yelled and started firing it at the new group of zombies. By the time I used all my bullets, however, I’d only hit two in the head. The others were getting backup.

Bryce hollered at me. “Just get back in the truck!”

I watched in horror as another wave of zombies approached Bryce from the other side of the church. I knew he didn’t have enough ammunition for all of them. He started shooting again and it didn’t take long to empty out his rifle.

“Shit!” he raged, tossing it to the ground. The next thing I knew he was striking out at the zombies with his feet and hands, sending them crashing to the pavement. Unfortunately, they were getting back up almost as quickly.

I ran to the SUV and grabbed the metal bat and the war hammer.

“Here!” I screamed, throwing the bat toward him. He picked it up off the ground and began swinging. Decaying zombie brains began paving the sidewalk in front of the church, which seemed so immoral and sacrilegious. Then I remembered how badly these things wanted to eat us, and held firmly to the war hammer.

I took a deep breath and then moved in to help Bryce.

“Oh, God!” I groaned as I brought it down on the first zombie’s skull. Zombie blood sprayed everywhere and I gagged. Shooting them was by far a lot less gross.

“Get back into the SUV!” barked Bryce, bringing the bat down on a zombie who was dressed in goth and had jet-black hair.

I dislodged the hammer and swung it at a tall, skinny zombie woman who was missing half of her face. Now the other half matched.

“You need my help!” I screamed, raising the hammer again, this time I swung it at a dead cheerleader that I recognized from school; we never had gotten along.

“I’ve got this!” he replied angrily as he rushed toward another zombie closing in on the dog.

“Yeah, I can tell,” I mumbled, heading toward someone who was about to rush Bryce from behind. I stuck my tennis shoe out, tripping him. He then flopped face down onto the ground where I quickly finished him off.

“Cassie! Watch out!” screamed Kristie from the SUV.

Three new zombies were staggering hungrily toward me while I was attempting to dislodge the hammer from the zombie’s brain.

“Shit!” yelled Bryce when he noticed the stooges. He had his hands full with two others coming at him.

The next thing I knew, Kristie punched the gas on the SUV, crushing the three under her oversized Goodyear tires.

“Six points!” cheered Paige and Kylie from the open window.

Kristie backed up and smeared another small group wandering toward us.

“Ten points, mom! Woot! Woot!”

When we’d finally taken out all of the zombies, both Bryce and I were exhausted.

“Next time… do what I tell you. You could’ve… been killed,” he said, trying to catch his breath.

I wiped the sweat off my forehead with the back of my arm. “First of all, quit telling me what to do; secondly, ‘you’re welcome’ would’ve sufficed.”

Bryce stood up straight and gave me a lopsided grin. “Kind of reminds me of the first time we met. Both of us exhausted and doing hand-to-hand combat.”

“I remember. You were just as humble then, too,” I said.

His eyes met mine. “You know, something about the way you swung that hammer was incredibly sexy.”

I burst out laughing. “You’re extremely warped.”

“I never said I wasn’t,” he replied. He took the war hammer from me and examined it. “This worked great. I’ve definitely got to get me one of these.”

“Sure, if you can get past the real nasty part of dislodging it from the zombie’s head. I had to fight from throwing up each time I used it.”

The dog started barking and we both rushed toward it, almost forgetting why we’d risked our lives fighting zombies in the first place. It was a female and she had a tag with the name “Goldie” engraved on it. Goldie showed her appreciation by licking my face while Bryce worked to free her from the fence.

“What a beautiful dog,” said Bryce, petting her soft, golden fur. She appeared to be smiling back at him with her tongue sticking out of the corner of her mouth.

“Yes, sweetie, you were worth the battle,” I told her as she rolled around on her tummy.

“Looks like we have another soldier on our team,” smiled Bryce.

Goldie barked in agreement.

18

We returned to the SUV with Goldie and she immediately jumped into Kylie’s lap, who was delighted. The puppy must have been excited to see warm-blooded humans because she couldn’t stop moving around to greet everyone.

“She’s adorable!” giggled Paige, who received a hello slurp from Goldie.

“Those horrible zombies,” said Kylie in a cooing voice to Goldie, “nobody’s going to hurt you now, puppy.”

Bryce opened the driver’s side door.

“Wait, shirt first, Bryce,” said Kristie, holding up another clean T-shirt. “I’m not sure how you manage to get so full of gore while Cassie hardly gets a spot of blood on her.”

“Easy, I hit much harder,” he replied, removing his shirt.

“You were so awesome, Bryce,” declared Eva, who was staring at his pecs lustfully.

I rolled my eyes.

“Thanks, Eva,” he replied, pulling the new shirt on. He jumped back into the SUV and we began moving again.

“Sorry I couldn’t help you guys,” glowered Paige. “My mother forced me to stay put.”

Kristie turned to look at her. “Face it, Paige, you’re just not the fighting type. You probably would’ve gotten in the way more than anything.”

“Actually, Paige proved herself to be a pretty good zombie destroyer this morning, when we were cornered in her bedroom. She took care of both the dudes,” I replied.

Kristie turned to Paige in disbelief. “You had boys in your room?”

Paige rolled her eyes. “Yes, but they won’t be back.”

I smiled. “Yes, and let’s just say she’ll probably never quite get the cartilage out of the heel of her Jimmy Choos.”

“Oh, my God, that is so nasty!” squealed Kylie.

As we neared the middle of town, we noticed several abandoned cars along the side of the streets and were forced to slow down to maneuver around them. Fortunately, the zombies wobbling by ignored us.

“Bryce, do you have any more rounds left for the rifle?” I asked.

He shook his head. “No. I used the last of my ammunition saving Goldie.”

I felt warm breath next to my ear. “Wow, I had no idea you had such cute relatives, Cassie,” whispered Eva.

I stared at her. “He’s my karate instructor.”

Eva’s eyes lit up. “Karate instructor? Oh wow. That’s hot.”

“Stay away from him, Eva,” hissed Paige. “He’s already taken.”

“Paige,” I warned. She just couldn’t take a hint that Bryce and I were just friends.

Eva was silent as she sat back in her seat, a small smile settling on her lips.

“Check out the zombies hovering around McDonald’s,” said Kylie.

There had to be thirty or more wandering around the abandoned building, some of them actually going inside.

“At least they’re not paying us any mind,” said Kristie.

“Wonder if some of them are still having a Big Mac attack,” I joked.

“I’ll bet they can smell raw patties in the back. It might be drawing them here. They’re probably spoiling by now with the electricity off,” said Bryce.

“Hey, stop at the next gas station you see. We need to fill up,” said Kristie.

Two blocks later, Bryce pulled into a small abandoned station and then hopped out to fill the tank. I followed him, clutching the war hammer tightly.

“Be right back!” yelled Kristie, as she jumped out of the truck holding the metal bat.

“Mom, are you nuts?” Paige hollered out the window. “What in the heck are you doing?!”

“Thirsty,” she called back.

“We packed drinks,” muttered Paige, crossing her hands across her chest.

I sighed. “I’ll go follow her.”

“Be careful,” said Bryce. “It looks empty from out here, but you never know.”

When I stepped into the filling station, I found Kristie behind the counter, opening a pack of cigarettes.

“I should have known,” I said.

Kristie smiled and took a drag. She exhaled and a steady stream of white smoke curled out of her mouth. “Oh man, I needed that.”

I smiled. “Paige is going to flip out.”

“That’s okay. Let her,” she answered. “It’s so worth it.”

I stretched out my arms and yawned. “I’m so tired. I’m going to grab some energy drinks. Want anything?”

She nodded. “Grab me a diet soda, please.”

I walked to the back of the station and grabbed a couple of energy drinks out of the cooler. When I turned around, one of the former employees stood two feet away from me, drooling.

“Crap,” I groaned throwing the cans as hard as I could at her gray, mottled face.

The zombie growled and rushed toward me but not before I caught her stomach with a roundhouse kick. She flew backwards into a stack of cereal boxes.

As I raised the hammer to finish her off, something grabbed me by the back of the hair and pulled. I quickly smashed my head backwards with all my might, hitting a second zombie in the nose. It screeched as it released my hair and its horrible smell actually made it past the Vicks coated under my nose. I shuddered and then kicked back with my foot, hitting it hard in the shin.

“Back for more?” I snapped at the first zombie who’d since gotten back up and was now staggering toward me. This time Kristie was behind her, swinging wildly at the zombie with the metal bat. She hit it in the skull with a loud “clunk”, and the zombie dropped, this time for good.

She looked up at me, her face pale. She pointed behind me and gasped, “Zombie!”

The other zombie was coming at me with its mouth wide open. I slammed the hammer into its grotesque face and it dropped to the ground.

“Thanks, Kristie,” I said, dislodging the hammer. I noticed that I was starting to become a little impervious to all of the zombie blood and gore. Whether it was a good thing or bad thing, I wasn’t even sure anymore.

Bryce walked through the door at that moment. “What’s taking so long?” When he noticed the two dead zombies and Kristie lighting up another cigarette, he sighed. “Next time let me do the shopping.”

“Actually, I think we did a pretty fair job staying alive in here,” I said, grabbing two bags of dog food.

He smiled as he grabbed some beef jerky. “I wouldn’t want you on the other team, that’s for sure.”

I grabbed two more energy drinks and Kristie stuffed several packs of smokes inside of her shirt.

***

We took off again as I sipped from my can. I stared out the window at the houses and businesses we passed and it was hard to imagine the kinds of nightmares that were hidden inside. Everything seemed so… normal. But I knew without a doubt it was a lie. “Normal” was gone forever and we were now only left with zombies and broken hearts.

When we finally made the turn onto my street, I felt a gnawing fear about what we’d find in my house. My cell phone was completely dead and we hadn’t been in contact with Sara since Bryce left them early this morning.

“You okay, Cassie?” asked Bryce.

“I’m okay,” I said, although my palms were sweating and I had to wipe them onto my jeans.

“I’m sure they’re fine,” Bryce said, knowing my fears. “Sara knows how to use a gun and Hannah seems like a pretty strong woman. They were going to lock themselves in the basement with the kids until I returned.”

“And… what if you hadn’t returned?” I asked.

He sighed heavily. “Have a little more faith, Cassie.”

My faith was pretty brittle at this point. I’d basically lost hope in ever finding my sister, and both of my parents were still missing. Then there was my grandparents, I didn’t even want to consider what kind of hell they were going through.

“Uh oh, looks like we missed out on your spring neighborhood block party,” mused Kristie.

We stopped at the end of the block. Several of my neighbors were wandering around the cul-de-sac, some attacking each other while others just looked confused. We’d never been very close to any of them when they were alive, but it was still horrifying to view them now as zombies.

I shuddered. “I wonder if they smell the others.”

Bryce nodded. “It wouldn’t surprise me if that was the case.”

“Well, they are starting to congregate toward us, so you’d better get us out of here,” demanded Eva.

“We’re not leaving; there are women and children in that house who need us. Kind of like you needed us awhile back!” snapped Paige.

There were about five zombies approaching the SUV. “Listen, we should go through the garage. The outside lights are on, which means we have electricity again. There’s a keypad by the side of the house that I can probably get to. It opens up the garage door. Once I enter the code, you can pull inside.”

“I’ll cover you,” said Bryce.

“Seriously, that’s all you’ve got for a plan?” asked Paige as the zombies closed in around the SUV.

“You have a better plan?” I asked.

She shrugged and then sighed deeply. “Nah, I’ve got nothing’.”

Bryce grabbed the metal bat from Kristie. “When the garage door opens, get this thing in quick. Plow right through any zombies you have to.”

Kristie’s face grew pale. She nodded and took a deep breath. “Okay, I’m ready, Freddy.”

“Got your hammer?” he turned and asked me.

I held it up.

“Okay, let’s do this,” he said.

I pushed my door open and quickly kicked one of my neighbors in the stomach. I hurried out of the truck and slammed the door shut, wielding my hammer. “I’m sorry, Mr. Bleechman. No offense.”

He growled and rushed toward me, but I sidestepped him. He slammed into the truck face-first.

“You things aren’t very graceful, are you?” I said.

“Cassie! Quit playing and get over to the keypad!” hollered Bryce, who was busy holding off two other zombies.

I took a deep breath and ended Mr. Bleechman’s short life as a zombie with a solid strike to his head with my hammer. As he fell to the ground, I heard an unearthly screech.

Mrs. Bleechman!

She seemed to have appeared out of nowhere and was now moving toward me with her mouth open and long, red, acrylic fingernails raised.

“Wait, Lois, he was cheating on you, I actually just did you a favor!” I yelled, still trying to dislodge the hammer from her husband’s dead skull.

She snarled and kept barreling toward me.

“You’re wasting time,” grumbled Bryce as he grabbed her by the back of the hair and swung her to the ground. She twisted around to attack but his bat split her rotted skull in two.

I shuddered. “Now that… that… was really gross.”

He motioned toward the house. “Keypad. Now.”

I ran to the side of the house and punched in the numbers for the garage, relieved that the power was working again. As it opened I could hear the sound of Bryce’s metal bat striking more zombies. Even though they were now monsters, it still felt wrong to be killing my neighbors.

We made it into the garage with only one zombie who managed to follow us, and Bryce took care of him quickly.

“Can you bag him or something? He’s going to stink up the garage,” I said.

“Maybe later if there’s time,” said Bryce. “You’re not planning on staying here, are you?”

“I don’t know what my plans are yet,” I replied.

“How about this… stick with me, we’re a pretty good team,” he said and slapped me playfully on the butt.

My jaw dropped but I didn’t say anything.

Just then everyone else piled out of the SUV. Goldie barked with excitement then began sniffing around the garage.

Eva got out with Chi Chi still in her dog carrier. “Little Chi Chi needs to make a little wee wee,” she said in her cutesy voice. The dog barked.

“Are you kidding me?” snorted Paige.

Kristie rolled her eyes and I bit my lip to keep from laughing.

Chi Chi, who was shaking violently again, moved to a corner of the garage and peed. Goldie peed on the zombie.

“Good girl,” I said, bending down to pet Goldie’s head.

Eva flipped her hair and then batted her eyelashes at Bryce. “By the way, Bryce, you were so incredible out there. I don’t know what we’d do without you.”

Bryce, who I’d learned thrives on gushing females, beamed her one of his dimpled smiles. “Someone’s got to take care of all you women.”

“Oh, puke,” muttered Paige as she slammed the door to the SUV.

“Is it safe to go in there?” asked Kristie as she grabbed the doorknob leading into my house.

“Better let me go in first,” replied Bryce, “just in case there are surprises waiting inside.”

Kristie looked at Bryce with amusement. “Fine by me, Bruce Lee.”

Bryce grabbed the bat, then opened the door and stepped inside. After about a minute, he stuck his head back into the garage. “It’s clear.”

I walked in with Goldie, who took off immediately to wander throughout the house. “Looks like Goldie’s giving the ‘all clear’ sign, too.” Although, it seemed much too quiet in the house. “Hello? Anyone home?” I yelled.

Goldie bolted downstairs and I could hear the squeal of Megan’s laughter.

Sara raced upstairs, her face full of relief. “Oh, God!” she cried, wrapping her arms around me. “I’m so glad to see you guys!”

Bobby ran upstairs and flung himself at Bryce. “Yay, Bryce is home!”

Bryce picked up Bobby and held him tightly in his arms. “Told you I’d be back, champ,” he said softly.

“Hi,” Megan said to me as she peeked around the corner of the basement door, “whose puppy?”

“Ours now,” I replied with a smile. “Her name’s Goldie.”

Eva was holding Chi Chi, who whimpered to get down. She finally released her and Chi Chi trotted after Goldie.

“Two dogs?!” screamed Megan in delight.

“Err… well, the Chihuahua is mine,” said Eva. “But he’s a nice doggy and loves kids. You can play with him.”

I was surprised to see Eva acting like a civilized human being, especially after the way she treated most people at school. Then of course we’d just saved her life and she didn’t have anywhere else to go.

Kristie’s mouth dropped when she saw Hannah. “Oh, my God! I didn’t know you were here, Han. Where’s Paul?”

Hannah started crying and Kristie went over right away to console her. Then both women went downstairs to catch up and talk about the loss of their husbands. Apparently Kristie and Hannah knew each other well.

“Have you heard from my parents?” I asked Sara.

Sara looked at me sadly. “No, neither of them. I take it you didn’t find Allie either?”

I shook my head and sighed. “Look, I’m really tired. The energy drink didn’t do anything for me. Think I’m going to have a shower and then maybe take a nap,” I said. “The power is back on?”

“It’s been going on and off,” she replied, shrugging her shoulders. “Don’t ask me why.”

“Weird,” I replied. “We still have water, don’t we?”

“For now,” replied Sara as the lights went off and the house became dead silent. “Crap, there it goes again.”

I still wasn’t sure why the government had shut down the power so quickly. I couldn’t imagine that it would be easier to contain the zombies in the dark.

My hair was sticky in some places and I fought an urge to puke as I washed it away with shampoo. I’d never felt so incredibly dirty in my life. Although I had to admit, I hadn’t even thought about germs in the last couple of days. Being exposed to so much blood and guts had made me numb to everything, including my phobia.

When I got out of the shower, I cut the tips off the rest of my fingernails and sighed, wondering if Mae was safe. Then I pushed it away from my mind. It was too horrifying to think about all the victims caught up in this nightmare.

Where are you, mom? I wondered as I laid my head on my pillow and closed my eyes. It was bad enough not finding my sister and not knowing where my father was. But my mother… she’d promised to come back quickly, and hadn’t. I knew exactly what that meant, I wasn’t naïve or stupid. I just couldn’t allow myself to accept the fact that she was probably gone forever.

19

“Mom, where’ve you been? I was so worried about you,” I cried as she walked into the kitchen. I ran up to her and threw my arms around her.

Smiling, she stroked my cheek fondly. “I told you I had to take care of that soldier,” she replied. Her hair was a mess and there was blood splattered on her shirt.

“Are you okay?” I asked, pulling away. She looked pale and tired.

“I’m fine, honey,” she replied and took me into her arms again. “You know how much I love you, don’t you, my little Wild One?”

I closed my eyes and laid my head on her shoulder. “I love you, too, mom. God, I missed you so much.”

She squeezed me harder. “I need you, honey.”

I could hardly breathe she was squeezing me so tightly in her arms. “Sure, mom. Just don’t hold me so tight. I can… barely breathe.”

“I really do need you. You understand, don’t you, baby?” she whispered into my ear.

I gasped for breath, trying to free myself. When I finally pushed her away, our eyes met and my heart screamed out in anguish.

“Come back to mommy,” she rasped, holding her gray, mottled arms toward me. “I need you so. I love you, Cassie.”

I nodded. “I love you, too.”

Then I closed my eyes and sobbed as I let her have me.

***

I woke up to someone gently shaking me.

“Cassie?” whispered Bryce softly.

Sighing, I opened my eyes and found Bryce staring down at me. His dark wavy hair was damp and he wore nothing but a pair of soft, gray lounge pants. I stared at the dragon tattoos on his forearms. They blazed with fire, as did something inside of me.

“I just stepped out of the shower across the hall, and heard you crying. I was a little worried.”

“Oh,” I said, sitting up. Remembering that all I had on was a thin tank and boxer shorts, I pulled my blanket up higher.

He smiled and sat down on the edge of my bed. “Listen, you were really fantastic earlier. It took a lot of courage to do what you did.”

I shrugged. “It wasn’t so bad once I reminded myself that they were already dead.”

Bryce chuckled. “Still, it was pretty impressive.”

“Thanks.”

He brushed a strand of hair away from my cheek. “I think we make a pretty good team.”

I stopped breathing when I gazed into his smoldering blue eyes. Bryce slowly leaned toward me and I felt the heat of his breath on my lips.

“Bryce! Where are you?” hollered Bobby from somewhere else in the house.

Bryce shut his eyes and swore under his breath. “Hold on, Bobby!” he called.

With my heart pounding frantically, I released a shaky breath.

Bryce opened his eyes and licked his lips. “You know, you’re pretty amazing,” he whispered, staring at my mouth.

“Bryce!” yelled Bobby again.

Bryce groaned with frustration and then stood up. “Coming, buddy!”

When he left my bedroom, I felt a mixture of disappointment and relief. I wasn’t sure how I would’ve reacted if he would have kissed me passionately right here, in my bed. Normally I would have been paranoid about my parents walking in. But things had changed, and at this moment, I didn’t have anyone to answer to.

I got up, slipped a hoodie over my tank top, and pulled on a pair of shorts. I’d slept for almost eight hours; it was well after midnight, and I was starving.

Sara was feeding Megan dry cereal when I entered the kitchen. “Hi,” I said. Goldie sat at their feet waiting for bits of food to drop.

She looked up and smiled wearily. “Hi.”

“Where’s everybody?”

“Kristie and Hannah are on watch duty, to make sure none of the zombies make it into the house. Kylie, Paige, and Eva are sleeping, I believe.”

I nodded and then sat down next to her at the table. “I’m sorry, Sara; I haven’t even asked if you’d gotten a hold of Kevin.”

She paused for a moment and her eyes filled with tears. “No, my cell phone doesn’t work.”

I covered her hand with mine. “It’s possible he’s getting the medical attention he was promised by the military.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of,” she replied looking away.

“If you want, we can go look for him later,” I said.

She wiped her eyes. “You’d come with me?”

“Of course I would.”

“Mommy, I want to play with Bobby,” Megan demanded.

I tickled Megan’s tummy. “Isn’t it a little late for you to be up playing?”

Megan giggled and shook her head “no.”

“Her schedule is totally messed up,” said Sara.

“I’m sure. Mine is too,” I replied. “I can watch her if you want to get some sleep. You’re pregnant and need it more than anyone.”

She released a deep sigh. “Would you? I could use some sleep. I’m so exhausted.”

“It’s settled. Go to bed and get some sleep,” I replied with a smile.

Sara gave Megan and me a hug, then left the kitchen.

I had a peanut butter sandwich, gave Goldie some fresh water and dog food, then took Megan downstairs so she could play with Bobby, who I figured was probably still awake. What I actually found stopped me cold. Eva was dressed in a skimpy nightgown with her arms around Bryce’s neck and her lips pressed firmly against his.

“Hi, Megan!” cried Bobby who was on the floor playing with Legos.

Bryce turned toward me and sighed.

“Um, I’m sorry,” I said, backing away.

“Cassie,” said Bryce, pushing Eva away. “It’s not what it looks like. She was just thanking me for getting a painful kink out of her neck.”

I raised my eyebrows. “Oh, really?”

Eva’s smile was smug. “Yes,” she said, putting her arm through his possessively. “He has such an amazing touch.”

Shame and humiliation twisted inside of me as I saw them standing together, both of them so damn good-looking. I turned around and left quickly.

“Cassie,” said Bryce, following me up the stairs. “Can you just wait a moment?”

“Listen,” I said turning to him. “You don’t have to explain anything to me, okay? Even if she was coming on to you, there’s nothing going on between us. You’re free to do whatever you want.”

Bryce grabbed my hand and pulled me toward him. His eyes searched mine. “Really? If I’m free to do whatever I want, then this is it.” His lips came down on mine before I could protest and then the world stopped moving. I felt myself go limp in his arms and as he pulled me in closer, I couldn’t help but kiss him back. A rush of desire swept through me as he held me against the hardness of his body. He moved his tongue into my mouth, caressing and exploring with an urgency that made my head spin. I slid my hands up behind his neck, into his hair, and he groaned against my mouth, lighting flames inside of me that I hadn’t known even existed.

“Excuse me?!”

Kristie and Hannah stood at the top of the stairs scowling at us. We were in the entryway of the split-level, our hands all over each other. I’d never been so embarrassed in my life.

“Um, sorry,” I replied as we broke away from each other. My heart was still pounding madly in my chest.

“You don’t look very sorry,” Kristie said with her hands on her hips. “And you,” she pointed to Bryce, “You definitely don’t look sorry. And please put on a damn T-shirt!”

Bryce smiled and rubbed the back of his neck.

“Since your parents aren’t around, I’m appointing myself as your personal watchdog, young lady. You both better behave yourselves and control your… raging hormones,” she said with a smirk. I knew Kristie though, she wasn’t being totally serious. Although, if she caught us doing anything more than this, she’d have a conniption.

“Whew!” she said, turning toward Hannah and fanning herself with her hand. “After witnessing part of that little interlude, I think I need a cigarette!”

Hannah chuckled and they both walked into the kitchen.

I glanced at Bryce and the look in his eyes made me blush.

He grabbed my arm. “Hey, this thing between us, it isn’t over,” he said softly.

“Um… I have to… get something to drink,” I said, turning away.

He smiled then released my arm. “I’ll go check on Bobby.

20

Eva strolled into the kitchen as I finished drinking my water. I tried to ignore her but she started talking.

“So, I spoke to my mom,” she said, twirling her hair around her finger.

I turned to her, genuinely happy for her. “That’s great! Where is she?”

“She’s at a Crisis Unit that’s been set up at the St. James Hospital. She’s going to send someone for me as soon as they have things under control.”

St. James was the closest hospital to our home. My mom would’ve taken the injured soldier to that hospital.

“Did she mention if there are there many survivors there?” I asked.

“She said there were less than a hundred right now, but more keep arriving. They’ve set up a security force to hold off all the zombies, but they keep coming as well.”

I grabbed her arm. “Can you call her back?” I had to find out if my mother was there.

Eva sighed. “No, she called me using someone else’s phone. I didn’t even get a chance to talk to her very long.”

“I have to get ahold of someone at St. James. Can you hit redial, and then we can call whoever’s phone she used last? They might be able to tell me if my mom ever made it to the hospital.”

Eva shook her head. “Sorry, it’s not working anymore. I tried texting one of my friends after talking to my mom, and the battery completely died.”

The fact that there were living people at the hospital rekindled my hope. It was possible that my mother was still alive at the hospital.

“Okay, once Sara wakes up, we’re leaving to check on Kevin. Then I’m going to St. James to find my mother.”

Eva shook her head. “Listen, my mom said there are hundreds of zombies surrounding the hospital. They believe the zombies are drawn to the Crisis Unit because the scent of blood is so strong. It’s going to be next to impossible to get through.”

“It’s only going to get worse; it’s now or never. If the zombies are running out of food on the streets, many more will show up at the hospital.”

“I’m with you,” said Bryce, walking into the kitchen, followed by Kristie. “We overheard and I agree; if we wait too long, then we’ll miss our chance to find out if your mom’s alive.”

“I’m coming, too,” replied Kristie, putting her arm around me. “If it wasn’t for you rescuing me and my children from ‘Zombie Dan’, we might’ve never made it out of there. Besides, I want to help you find your mother because she’s also a good friend.”

“What about the others? I don’t want to risk them getting injured. Do you think they’ll be safe here without us?”

“Hannah, Paige, and Kylie can stay here and watch the kids until we get back,” replied Kristie. “They’ll be fine. The zombies haven’t been very aggressive. They’re not even very smart. Unless someone opens the door and invites them in, I don’t think we have anything to worry about.”

Eva touched Bryce’s arm. “I should come, too. My mom’s at the hospital and I’m not spending another night in a daycare.”

I gave her a scathing look. “It beats being alone on the streets where we found you.”

Eva had the decency to look embarrassed. “Sorry, I didn’t mean it that way. I’m just worried about my mom. I’m coming, if that’s okay?”

“Just stay out of trouble,” I muttered.

“Is it okay if I leave Chi Chi here, for now? She seems so happy with Goldie and I can pick her up when it’s not so dangerous out there.”

“Yeah, she can stay,” I said.

Kristie tapped her nails on the counter. “It’s settled then. As soon Sara wakes up, we’ll leave.”

I nodded. “Okay. Let’s go look through my dad’s guns and ammunition. Kristie, can you shoot a gun?”

She sighed. “Well, let me tell you; I can pull a trigger, I just don’t know if I can hit anything with the bullet.”

I bit the side of my lip. “Okay. How about you wait until a zombie gets close enough for you to hit it, but not close enough for it to bite you. Aim right between the eyes and pull the trigger,” I replied.

Bryce rubbed his forehead and sighed. “Maybe we should just let her use the bat.”

“What about me?” pouted Eva as she traced circles on Bryce’s bicep using a perfectly non-chipped fingertip. “What should I do?”

“Just stay out of the way so you don’t get hurt,” I snapped. I really wanted to hurt her myself right now. It irritated me how Bryce just let her touch him so casually. He was so clueless.

Eva scowled at me then looked at Bryce. “Fine, I’ll just stay close to Bryce. I don’t think I’ve ever been in such capable hands.”

He shrugged. “Considering what we’re up against, I think it’s wise if we all stay close together and be prepared for anything. Every one of us should have some kind of weapon, too, whether it’s a bat, a shovel, or a gun. Which reminds me. Cassie, let’s go look at your dad’s stash and figure out which ones to bring with.”

“Eva, why don’t you get dressed,” said Kristie, putting an arm around her and guiding her out of the kitchen. “I don’t think your little nightie is appropriate for where we’re going.”

Eva was still wearing her slinky baby-doll nightgown that barely covered her rear. She smiled coyly at Bryce and licked her lips. “Sorry, I didn’t have anything else to wear. I wasn’t planning on doing a slumber party when I packed it. I’ll change it so I’m not a distraction.”

For the love of God, I thought. Why did we have to save her irritating life?

Bryce looked amused but didn’t say anything as he followed me downstairs to my dad’s gun safe; he almost fell over when he saw all the guns.

“Wow. Lucky for us your dad loves firepower,” he said.

“Yes, he’s obsessed with guns,” I replied, pulling out a semi-automatic rifle. I’d never fired the gun but it seemed pretty impressive.

“Have you tried all of these?” Bryce asked, picking up different guns.

“Almost; not this one, though,” I said, opening the chamber. “My dad and I go to the shooting range every weekend so I’ve had a chance to try many of them.”

He took the rifle from me and examined it. “I’ve been around guns all my life, my dad was a cop. Wow, this is an SKS. It’s good for long-range shooting. It will definitely come in handy. Let’s bring it with.”

“So, where’s your dad now?” I asked.

Bryce sighed. “He died about five years ago, trying to stop some asshole from butchering his wife.”

I felt terrible for bringing his dad up. “Wow, I’m sorry. That must have been horrible.”

He nodded. “It was. Good news is that the wife survived a gunshot wound to her chest. It barely missed her heart. They both had little kids at the time.”

“What happened to your dad and the shooter?”

He looked me in the eyes. “My dad made a bad decision that cost him his life. He thought he could stop the husband from killing his wife all by himself. The negotiator had pissed the shooter off and would no longer answer any phone calls. So my dad snuck into the backyard to try and get in. What he didn’t realize was that the man had hidden surveillance cameras and he was shot before he even made it through the window.”

“I’m so sorry,” I replied softly.

He smiled sadly. “It’s okay. It’s been awhile and I’ve learned to accept it.”

“What happened to the husband?”

“Well, he thought he’d killed his wife and blew his own brains out.”

I shuddered. “How… tragic.”

“Yeah it was pretty tough to handle back then, especially for a fifteen-year-old kid. That’s about the time I really got into martial arts to help me focus on something other than my old man’s death.”

“And now you also have a passion for guns like he did?” I asked.

“They’re impressive, what can I say? I still have my dad’s collection, but nothing compared to this assortment. But I still go to the firing range a couple times a month, have friends in the military who keep me up-to-date on the latest gadgets, and I have a magazine subscription to Gun Digest.”

I laughed. “So you’re an expert on both firearms and the martial arts. Kind of a deadly weapon yourself, aren’t you?”

Bryce smiled wickedly. “I’m an expert on other things as well. Let’s just say I’m not just a fighter, Ms. Wild.”

“Okay, lover boy,” said Kristie, walking down the stairs, an unlit cigarette dangling from her mouth. “Keep your mind on the weapons.”

He saluted her. “Yes, ma’am.”

“Pick out a gun, Kristie,” I said, attempting to change the subject.

Kristie walked over and grabbed a Smith and Wesson handgun. “I’ve shot one of these before at the gun range with Dan. This will do; just load it for me and show me how to remove the safety.”

“Wow, that was easy,” I said.

She nodded and smiled “I’m a no-nonsense kind of gal, Cassie. I just need a gun to shoot and a target that’s less than twelve inches away.”

I shook my head and giggled.

We loaded Kristie’s SUV with the guns and ammunition. She yawned and stretched her arms. “I’m bushed and it’s still pretty early. I’m going to lie down for a while if that’s okay?”

“Go ahead. You’re driving and we need you alert,” I said.

Kristie left and it was just me and Bryce staring at each other.

He yawned. “I’d better get some rest, too,” said Bryce. “So… care to join me, Wild?”

It was tempting but I knew it probably meant trouble. “No, I’ve got to watch Megan. You can sleep in my room though. There won’t be any distractions there,” I replied, thinking of Eva.

“Thanks. How about tucking me in?” he asked with a little smile.

I blushed. “Maybe… next time.”

“I’ll remember that,” he said, yawning again. He then brushed my lips quickly with his own and both of us parted, smiling.

21

“This is going to be tricky,” said Bryce as we stood in the garage several hours later. There were still a number of zombies stumbling around the driveway and we didn’t want to let them in. “I’m going to have Kristie drive and then I’ll take out any zombies that try to get into the house through the garage.”

“Don’t forget to toss that rotting one out with them too. The horrible smell is starting to get into the basement,” I said.

Bryce sighed. “Fine, I’ll drag it out… if you cover me.”

I nodded my head. “Sure.”

“Okay, are you feeling all right, Sara?” asked Bryce.

Sara looked both frightened and determined at the same time. It had been almost two days since she’d spoken to Kevin and we all knew the chance that he was still alive was pretty slim.

“I’m fine,” she said. “Let’s just do this before I change my mind.” She’d been nervous about leaving Megan, but Kristie had reassured her that the zombies would never figure out how to get inside.

“My hair looks so dull,” complained Eva, looking at herself in a mirror she’d pulled out of her tote bag. I couldn’t believe she was worried about her hair while we were worried about making it out of the garage alive. Although, truthfully, her red hair looked so shiny it was grating.

“Your hair does not look dull,” replied Kristie.

“It’s so shiny that I’m sure you’ll draw all types of unwanted attention,” I muttered.

Bryce chuckled. “Okay, everyone’s hair in place? Everyone use the bathroom? Noses powdered?”

“Wait, I need my cigarettes!” Kristie said, running back into the house. Seconds later she returned with two packs. “Now I’m ready for anything.”

“Good thing you volunteered Paige to stay behind,” I remarked.

She shrugged but I didn’t miss the gleam in her eyes.

Everyone got back into the SUV but Bryce and me.

“Are you ready?” he asked.

I nodded. I had the gun out and my hammer in a utility type of belt that I’d concocted from an old leather belt and holster.

“Wait,” he said, coming toward me. He grabbed the back of my head and pulled me toward him, stealing a quick kiss. He released me and looked into my eyes. “Just in case I don’t get a chance to do that again.”

His words were like a splash of cold water as the reality of our situation set in. We were heading right into serious danger again, and it was more than feasible that any of us could be killed by a zombie.

“Hey, Bryce,” sighed Kristie from the truck. “They don’t have any more like you at home, do they? Cause I got to tell you…”

I chuckled. I knew Kristie was a hopeless romantic and it wouldn’t be long before husband number three would be in the midst. If there was anyone left.

Kristie turned toward the back of the SUV and snapped, “Oh, Eva, would you just chill the hell out.” I knew then that Eva must not have enjoyed the kiss as much as I did.

“Okay,” Bryce said, raising his gun and walking toward the garage door opener. “Get ready, everyone.”

Kristie started the engine and rolled up her window.

Bryce pressed the garage door opener, grabbed the dead zombie by its clothing, and started dragging him toward the opening. When the garage door was all the way up, Kristie pressed firmly on the gas and backed out, crushing two zombies who were staring stupidly at the SUV. I ignored the now-familiar bone crunching and moaning of the zombies and began firing my gun at the new ones coming toward us.

“Behind you, Bryce!” I yelled as dead and rotted Mr. Hendrickson appeared behind Bryce.

Bryce snapped his head back, hitting the zombie in the forehead. He turned around, kicked it in the stomach, then blew off Mr. Hendrickson’s slackened zombie face. Bryce scowled and brushed off the back of his head, trying to remove zombie brain particles.

I shuddered. “That was… so nasty.”

“To your left!” hollered Bryce.

The crazy old lady from up the street was snarling and coming right at me. She’d always been a cruel and hateful woman, screaming at anyone who’d ever gotten too close to her yard, and God forbid if you should accidently kick a ball onto her lawn. She wouldn’t just keep it; she’d destroy it while you watched, smiling smugly and daring you to say anything. Needless to say, my mom had weathered many heated arguments with the old broad and I still couldn’t stand her, dead or alive.

“Sorry, Hazel,” I said, raising my gun, “but your days of being a bitter old bitch are now over.”

Hazel growled angrily and then fell backwards as the bullet entered her rotting skull.

We killed the last two zombies trying to get into the garage, then closed it and jumped into the SUV.

“Those things smell awful! God, I could smell them from inside the truck,” complained Eva.

“That reminds me,” I said, pulling out the small jar from my pocket. “Vicks, anyone?”

***

Zombies must have been waking up all over the city, because even the rural areas were plagued with them.

“I had no idea,” whispered Sara, staring out the window in horror.

The streets were like obstacle courses and it was difficult to navigate the SUV around both the abandoned cars and zombies. Fortunately, most of the zombies ignored us, staggering aimlessly with no real apparent destination.

“Watch out!” said Bryce as a zombie stepped in front of our moving vehicle.

Kristie cringed in revulsion as the zombie bounced off the front grill and over the hood. “That was… unpleasant,” she muttered, grasping the steering wheel a little tighter.

We drove past the karate studio and noticed the large plate-glass window in the front was smashed. Zombies wandered around the entire mini-mall, shuffling through broken glass… paper debris… and other dead zombies.

“I hope Master Jordan survived,” I said.

“Well, I know he didn’t get the vaccine,” replied Bryce. “Neither did Mae; both of them are into natural herbal remedies. I’d bet anything that he’s alive somewhere. He’s definitely one guy who’s not going down easily.”

“He’s a great guy. I hope you’re right,” I said.

Sara’s place was located in a newer development where many of the homes were still under construction and thankfully, we didn’t run into any zombies.

“Listen, Kristie and Eva; honk if you see any zombies approaching.”

“Okay,” replied Kristie. She picked up the Smith and Wesson and placed it on her lap.

“Can’t I come with?” asked Eva.

“No, it’s too dangerous. You’re much safer in here,” he replied.

It wasn’t the answer she was looking for. “Fine,” she sniffed.

“Let’s go, I can’t wait anymore,” said Sara. She opened the door and jumped out of the SUV. Bryce and I got out and followed her to the front door.

Sara pulled out her keys, but the door was unlocked. “Kevin?” she called, opening it. “Kevin, it’s me, Sara!”

The house was eerily quiet when we entered. Like my house, it was a split-level, but much larger and newer.

Sara tossed her keys onto a new granite countertop and turned to us. “The bedroom is upstairs. He’s probably sleeping,” she said.

We followed Sara upstairs where there were three bedrooms and a bathroom. One of the doors was shut and that’s where she headed.

Bryce grabbed my arm. “Be ready,” he said into my ear.

I nodded as we followed her into the master bedroom. The room was huge with a built-in fireplace and a cozy chenille chaise off to one side of the room, a private bathroom with a built-in whirlpool bath on the other. It was the nicest bedroom I’d ever been in considering its current state. Discarded clothing, used tissues, and empty food containers lay scattered all over plush carpeting.

“Oh, God,” moaned Sara, staring at the bed.

22

We followed Sara to the large maple sleigh bed where Kevin lay. As we gathered around the bed, she let out a sigh of relief.

“He’s just sleeping,” she said quietly, brushing the sandy brown hair from his eyes.

I turned to look at Bryce, who was frowning. He pulled me aside.

“Do you smell that?” he whispered.

I nodded; it was a smell I was getting all too familiar with.

Sara sat on the bed. “Kevin? Sweetheart, wake up. It’s me, Sara,” she said softly. She grabbed his hand and squeezed it.

I took a step closer to the bed and noticed that Kevin’s face was gaunt, his lips pale and dry. There was movement under his eyelids, as if he was dreaming.

“You’re so cold,” Sara mumbled, touching his forehead. She stood up and lifted a goose down comforter from the floor that must have fallen. She spread it around him on the bed and tucked the edges under the mattress.

My heart was hammering in my chest. To me, he didn’t look like he was sleeping; he looked stiff and white, like a corpse. I cleared my throat. “Sara, maybe you should step back.”

She shook her head vehemently. “No, I know what you’re thinking. He’s just sleeping, Cassie. He… he’s… fine.” She glanced at me and I could see that her eyes were brimming with tears.

“What’s that?” I asked, grabbing a piece of paper from the nightstand. At the top of the page were the words Vaccination Side Effects. It listed the typical side effects of a regular flu shot. I showed it to Sara, who turned very pale.

“No… he didn’t get the vaccination. I don’t understand,” she said, scanning the flyer. She looked up and shook her head. “This just doesn’t make sense.”

Bryce took it from her and examined it. “Didn’t you mention the military was sending someone from their medical staff to check on him? They could have given it to him then.”

A deep moan escaped Kevin’s lips and his eyes slowly opened.

“Oh, God,” I whispered, putting my hand over my mouth. Kevin’s eyes were blood-rimmed and cold as death. They stared emotionlessly at Sara, who appeared oblivious to the truth.

“Hi,” she whispered, smiling down at him. She stroked his hand.

“Sara, don’t touch him,” demanded Bryce, pulling her away.

Kevin sat up and began making deep guttural noises. He started flailing his arms around and greenish-red foam bubbled from his mouth.

“No, Kevin,” she moaned, trying to reach out for him. “I’m here for you, honey.”

Bryce grabbed Sara and pulled her away just as Kevin lurched toward her, making hideous smacking noises with his mouth. When he noticed that he’d missed her, he let out an alarming screech that made the hair stand up on the back of my neck.

“Leave me be, Bryce!” Sara screamed as he tried to push her out of the bedroom. She eventually broke free and then rushed back toward Kevin, who was beginning to growl at her like rabid animal. She took a step back and stared at him in horror.

“He’s a zombie now, not Kevin,” I said.

Tears streamed down her face as Sara stood staring at the man she’d fallen in love with. He was now just an animated corpse, devoid of any human emotion. Shaking her head in sorrow, she raised her gun and pointed it at his face. “Oh, God,” she cried, her hands trembling. “I… I… can’t do it.” I watched in horror as she dropped the gun, leaving herself vulnerable to the zombie, who was prepared to leap at her.

“Watch out, Sara!” I yelled, raising my gun.

Kevin lunged toward her, his mouth open and arms outstretched. Before he reached Sara, there was a loud explosion and he was blown backwards by the impact of Bryce’s bullet.

“No!” screamed Sara as he fell to the ground, blood streaming out of the large hole in his skull. She rushed over to him and lifted his hand to her cheek.

I knelt down next to her. “Sara, it wasn’t Kevin anymore,” I said softly. “His soul wasn’t there. He was gone before we even got here.”

She looked at me, her eyes full of misery. “Do you think that makes it easier? Two days ago, I left him here to die, alone. If I would have listened to my heart and stayed with him, he’d still be alive.”

Bryce stepped toward her and touched her shoulder. “No, if you would have stayed here with Megan, both of you would have been killed. You didn’t even know about the side effects of the vaccine until it was too late. Kevin would have probably still received it, and you’d be dead, along with Megan and your unborn child.”

Sara touched her belly and lowered her eyes. “Maybe, but he’s still gone and I don’t know if I will ever forgive myself,” she said huskily. Sara stood up and took one last look at Kevin before she hurried out of the room.

23

The ride to the St. James Hospital was very solemn. Kristie didn’t ask any questions, and even Eva had the sense to keep her mouth shut.

Zombies were everywhere and they were getting more violent. Older and newer ones wrestled each other, trying to feed. It was maddening to watch. I closed my eyes to block out as much horror as I could as we drove. I’d seen enough in the last couple of days to give me nightmares for the rest of my life.

As we neared the hospital, I prayed silently that my mother was alive. She’d been armed with a gun but I still didn’t know if she’d been attacked by the soldier she’d been trying to save or someone else. I was tearing my hair out to know the truth, and soon I’d be closer to it.

When we finally approached the hospital’s parking lot, it was crawling with zombies. Most of them wandered around in a muddled state, not doing much of anything. Others, who appeared more grotesque and rancid from decomposing, acted like rabid dogs. I watched in horror as they also attacked each other.

“This is totally revolting,” whispered Eva, turning green.

I couldn’t agree with her more; it was worse than any horror flick I’d ever watched on television, and it was real. Blood and body parts covered most of the pavement of the hospital parking lot. It was like a bloody aftermath of an explosion, only this devastation was much more than any of us could have ever imagined.

“Careful on the left,” pointed Bryce. A group of zombies were snarling and tearing each other apart. Thankfully, they hadn’t quite taken notice of us yet.

“Jesus,” mumbled Kristie as the SUV struck a zombie who’d stepped into our path. The sound of the zombie’s corpse crumbling under the tire made me gag. “Sorry, this isn’t easy, driving through this shit.”

“Kristie, you’re doing fine,” reassured Bryce.

He was right. There really was no way to avoid driving over the gore in the parking lot. The sound of bones crunching and loud thuds was enough to drive me mad. “Do you have any music? CDs?” I asked Kristie.

“Hey, great idea! In the back, under the seat,” she said.

I pulled out her CD collection, which consisted of a lot of older bands. I pulled out a CD of Metallica, which seemed appropriate for the moment.

“Haven’t heard this one forever,” she said. She stuck it in and the sound of heavy metal blared through speakers.

Eva scowled. “Don’t you have anything else?”

“It beats the sound of bones smashing under the tires,” I said.

Eva scowled and looked out the window.

We were going very slowly toward the hospital entrance and some of the zombies were starting to take notice. Before I could say anything, two zombies rushed the side of the SUV and started scratching at the darkened windows.

“Can’t you go faster?” cried Eva as one of them stared at her through the window. It let out a horrendous screech and Eva practically jumped out of her seat.

“Sorry, I wish I could,” said Kristie, her hands tight on the wheel.

We were going very slowly, in fact, some of the zombies were staggering faster than we were driving.

“Shit,” muttered Kristie as more zombies began surrounding the truck.

“Can’t you shoot them?” whined Eva.

“No, we aren’t wasting our bullets on hundreds of zombies too stupid to even find a way in here. We need ammunition for when we’re on foot,” I said.

“Bryce, how in the world are we going to get into the hospital when they’re following us this close?” asked Sara.

“Look,” I said, pointing to the emergency entrance. “There are some people with guns getting ready to do something.”

As we got closer, about five military soldiers ran outside of the emergency doors and started picking off the zombies that were following us. One of the men motioned us over to a separate ambulance entrance, big enough to drive the SUV into. Once inside, they closed the door and approached us cautiously.

“Have any of you been vaccinated lately?” asked a tall, humorless-looking soldier holding a gun.

“No, sir,” replied Bryce, raising his hands in the air. “None of us have.”

The soldier nodded and then introduced himself. “I’m Captain Brent Lufkin. Does anyone here need medical attention?” he asked, looking specifically at Sara, who’d stepped out of the truck holding a hand over her protruding belly.

“No, not yet anyway,” said Bryce. “We’re here to try and locate a couple of people.”

“Really, who?” asked the Captain.

I spoke up. “Veronica King, the news anchor, and my mother, Kristen Wild.”

“Well Veronica King left a couple of hours ago to help pick up some survivors who’d radioed in. She should be back within a few hours. Got to say, that woman surprised the hell out of me. She’s as tough as nails.”

“What about Kris Wild? Have you seen her?” interrupted Bryce. “She’s fairly tall, light brown hair, somewhere in her forties. She would have arrived with a wounded soldier.”

He shook his head. “Kris Wild? Sorry, it just doesn’t sound familiar but you’re welcome to take a look around,” he said. “We have over one hundred survivors. Most of them are staying close to each other in the children’s wing of the hospital. Come on, I’ll show you.”

The hospital had generators, so luckily there was electricity. As we neared the children’s wing, I noticed many of them eating warm meals and talking quietly to one another. Surprisingly, there weren’t many children around.

“I wonder what happened to the children that were in this wing of the hospital,” I said softly

The captain turned to me. “Most of the children who were already staying in the hospital received the vaccines. We had to place them in special holding cells so they wouldn’t harm anyone.”

“They’re still here?” asked Kristie.

He nodded. “Yes, they are. Unfortunately some of them are getting so violent that we can’t get near them without the risk of getting bitten.”

I shuddered. “You’re just keeping them locked up until they die?”

“On the contrary, we’re studying them to find out if we can halt the process or find an antidote. We’ve had some communication from the CDC in Atlanta,” he replied.

“There are still researchers left from the CDC?” I asked in shock. “I would have thought they’d all gotten the vaccine.”

“Not all of them agreed with vaccinations either,” he replied, “lucky for us.”

“Do you mind if I take a look around?” I asked him. “I need to find out if my mother ever arrived. Maybe someone else saw her.”

“Go ahead, I’ll ask around for you, too. Don’t forget to check some of the private patient rooms,” he replied.

We all split up and began asking around. Bryce said he’d check some of the patient rooms in Urgent Care. Curiously enough, Eva volunteered to tag along with him and he reluctantly agreed. I trusted him, but there was no way in hell I was going to allow her back home with us later. I crossed my fingers that Veronica would come back soon and take her daughter off our hands.

***

I started checking the rooms in the children’s units, hoping beyond hope that maybe my mom was there, resting. Unfortunately most of them were unoccupied, and the few that had people in them hadn’t heard anything about my mother, so I decided to venture farther away from the children’s unit. As I approached the birthing wing, I heard a man talking in one of the rooms. The tone of his voice sounded familiar and my heart skipped a beat. I rushed toward the sound of his voice.

“Ever hear of knocking first?” drawled the soldier, who was on his cell phone. He wore only a pair of army pants and a bandage around his shoulder.

“Austin!” I cried. “Thank God! I’m so glad to see you.”

A huge smile lit up his face. It was the soldier my mother had rescued! Words couldn’t express the joy I was suddenly feeling. If he wasn’t a zombie, she had to be still alive, somewhere.

“How in the world did you make it here?” he asked, hanging up his phone.

“I got a ride,” I said, looking around. “Where’s my mother?”

The smile on his face fell away and he sighed. “She’s not here.”

“I see that. Where is she? “

“Your mom went for help,” he said.

“Went for help? What do you mean?” I asked, stepping closer to him.

“She went to find special help for your sister.”

My heart soared. “My sister? She’s here somewhere? I don’t understand. Where are they?”

He shook his head. “Not anymore, they’re both gone. Your mom picked up your sister from her girlfriend’s house yesterday, and they ran into some trouble coming back; zombie trouble. Here,” he said, walking over to the counter where he lifted a piece of paper. “She wrote you this letter. I was going to try and get it to you.”

I snatched it from his hands. My own began to tremble as I read the letter.

Dearest Cassie,

I pray that you get this letter and you are okay. I’ve tried calling you but I realize the power is out everywhere and your cell phone is more than likely dead. I have Allie; I picked her up as soon as I found out about the zombies. When I finally found her, she’d been attacked and wasn’t doing very well. She had a high fever and her body was racked with seizures, it was very frightening. I quickly brought her back to the hospital where they were able to finally lower her fever, but there was nothing more they could do for her. They suspect she is turning into one of those creatures now and suggested that I bring her to Atlanta, where scientists are working on an antidote. They even let us catch a lift with their medevac helicopter unit. And that’s where we’re heading now.

I hope that you’re safe and that you get this letter. I love you so much and I wish I could be with you right now. But your sister is very sick, and I have to do everything I can to find help for her. I have to try and save her. I know you’ll understand, my Wild One.

All my love,

Mom

P.S. I will try and contact you when I’m in Atlanta. Try and get your cell phone charged if you can. I have been given one to use by the Army and will keep trying to call you.

24

I closed my eyes and released a heavy sigh. Although I was relieved that both my sister and mother were alive, I held no illusions of there being a happy ending in all of this, especially if we were still separated and my sister was turning into a zombie.

“Now what?” I mumbled to myself. I sat down on a stool and put my head in my hands.

“I reckon you could just stay here and wait for your mother to call,” he replied.

I lifted my head and faced him. “No, I have to get back home with my friends. Besides, there are so many zombies attracted to this place, seriously. I don’t feel all that safe here.”

Austin nodded his head. “Okay. Well then I’m coming with you.”

I stood up. ”What do you mean… you’re coming with me?”

He knelt down next to me and placed his hands on my shoulders. His eyes reminded me of warm caramel. “Your mother saved my life. If it wasn’t for her, I don’t know what would have happened. I made a promise to her that I’d find you and help protect you. I’m not breaking that promise.”

I pulled away. “Thanks, Austin, but I can take care of myself. I made it here, didn’t I?”

He shrugged. “Well, yeah you did. But you haven’t made it out of here alive just yet. Come on, Cassie, let me help you. If anything, I can help you get in touch with your mom. I know where they’ve taken her.”

My eyes narrowed. “What about your family? Don’t you have anyone at home that might need you?”

Austin smiled and folded his arms across his chest. “Well, darlin’, my family lives in Texas and it doesn’t look like I’ll be traveling there anytime soon. In fact, I just radioed my brother and they’re together and holding up okay, so far. So, the answer is no, there’s nobody who needs me at this moment as much as you do.”

I pointed. “What about your shoulder?”

“It’s doing better. They stitched it up and it’s tender, but I’ll survive.”

“I thought for sure you were bitten by a zombie.”

He shook his head. “I was shot; a woman. I don’t know, she may have thought I was a zombie.”

I rubbed the back of my neck. “Well, if you want to tag along, I guess that would be okay. We could always use an extra shooter.”

Austin smiled and I found myself returning it. With his Southern drawl, blond hair, and rugged good looks, he actually reminded me of some cowboy I’d watched on television as a child. One I’d had a small crush on.

“Excellent. I’ll just find the rest of my clothing and we can shoot out of here.”

“Austin?” I said, trying to swallow the lump forming in my throat. “How was my sister when you last saw her?”

His eyes clouded over and he took my hand. “She was struggling, I can tell you that.”

I looked down so he wouldn’t see the tears in my eyes. “I hope they can help her. I don’t know what I’ll do if I lose either of them.”

He lifted my chin up and stared into my eyes. “Your mom’s a fighter, you’re obviously one, too. If Allie takes after either of you, then the odds are in her favor.”

I nodded but the tears still escaped, the enormity of my family’s situation was overwhelming.

Austin wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close. “Shh… it’ll be okay. We’ll find a way to contact your mom. Shit, if I have to take you to her myself, I will.”

“Cassie?” interrupted Bryce as he walked in the door with Eva trailing close behind.

I moved away from Austin and brushed away my tears. “Um, this is Austin. He’s the soldier my mother had rescued.”

Bryce frowned. “Okay? So, where is she?”

I explained everything that Austin had told me. When I told Bryce that he’d be joining us, he shook his head.

“No, he should stay here. The zombies are getting pretty out of hand out there. They need soldiers to protect the crisis unit.”

“Sorry, but I’m coming with you all. I made a promise to Kris that I’d find a way to keep Cassie safe, and I’m not going back on my word.”

Bryce and Austin stared at each other and you could cut the tension in the air with a knife.

“Well, I think that’s a great idea,” said Eva as she stepped next to Bryce. She looped her arm through his. “We need all the help we can get fighting off those zombies.”

I scowled at Eva. “We? You’ll be staying here. You don’t have to worry about fighting zombies, not like you helped much anyway.”

Eva glared at me. “You don’t have to be such a bitch.”

My mouth dropped open and before I could show her how much of a bitch I could really be, Bryce interrupted. “Eva’s coming with us. Her mother’s been bitten and they’re flying her to Atlanta, too. She has nowhere else to go, Cassie.”

A wave of guilt rushed through me. “Oh, I’m sorry, Eva. I didn’t know.”

Eva shrugged her shoulders and looked away.

“Well, why doesn’t she just go to Atlanta to be with her mom?” I asked Bryce.

“They said she couldn’t. They are quarantining all bite victims,” he replied. “They won’t even allow her near Veronica to say goodbye.”

“Oh, well she should stay here so they can keep her updated on her mom’s condition.”

Bryce shook his head. “The zombies are getting too out of hand for this small group. It’s not safe to stay here anymore. In fact, we’d better get moving now before we end up getting stuck here.”

Just then, Kristie and Sara walked in. “Oh, thank God you guys are here. Look, we have to get out of here… now,” said Kristie. “The zombies are either getting smarter or they’re just plain getting lucky. They’ve broken through the entrance now and the soldiers won’t be able to hold them off too much longer.”

Austin pulled on a T-shirt. “Let’s get going,” he said. “I’ve got some grenades, we might need them.”

Kristie smiled at Austin. “Well hey there, soldier. I take it you’re the newest member of our team?”

He shrugged. “I’m just coming along to protect Cassie. I made a promise her mother.”

Bryce scowled. “That’s very noble, but she doesn’t need your protection, she has me.”

Austin nodded toward Eva. “Looks like you already have your hands full with that one.”

Bryce took a step away from Eva and folded his arms across his chest. “We’ve done fine without you.”

“Hello? Guys, I can protect myself,” I said, walking toward the door.

The two men stood glaring at each other, neither of them saying anything.

Kristie snorted. “Okay, everyone, time to leave. The testosterone in this room is going to either make me go nuts or grow a pair; frankly I don’t want to do either.”

I walked out the door and started toward the location of our SUV. Sara and Kristie caught up with me quickly.

“Men, you can’t kill ‘em… unless they try and eat your brains,” said Kristie with a wry grin.

I stopped walking and turned to Sara and Kristie. “I just wanted to say thanks to both of you. I know each of you lost your husbands, and yet you’ve still found the strength to help me try to find my mom. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

We were still hugging each other when Eva, Bryce, and Austin caught up.

“You boys work it out?” asked Kristie, pulling away.

Bryce shrugged and Austin smiled. “Nothing to work out, darlin’. I’m coming with whether Billy likes it or not.”

“It’s Bryce,” he muttered, walking ahead of him.

“Southern boys,” said Kristie as we started walking. “I once had me a cowboy. Oh, the things he could do with that rope…”

25

There were several dead zombies lying around as we neared the parked SUV. Three of the soldiers were repairing the glass on the door where the zombies had broken through.

“You guys leaving?” asked one of them. “Through this mob?”

“Yes,” replied Bryce.

“Well, they are getting pretty damn restless out there,” said the soldier. “Be careful.”

We got into the SUV and the soldiers reluctantly opened the garage door. Kristie was in the driver’s seat again so that Bryce would have his hands free to shoot, if needed. Bryce sat next to her with his gun ready.

“Damn, those zombies stink,” muttered Austin, sitting close to me.

“Vicks works wonders,” I said, handing him my jar.

He nodded in approval and rubbed some under his nose.

“Look! Sweet Jesus, they’re getting in,” said Eva as two zombies barreled through the garage door before it was closed all the way. The soldiers shot them in the head and they dropped.

Bryce opened his window and shot two more that tried sneaking in.

“You have a gun, cowboy?” Kristie asked Austin.

“Lost it a couple days ago. I found a couple of grenades, though,” he said, holding them up in the air.

“Careful driving,” mumbled Bryce.

Zombies were definitely getting more ferocious as we drove through the parking lot. The smell of blood was drawing more of them toward the hospital and now there were hundreds attacking each other.

“How in the hell do we get out of here?” growled Kristie.

“I guess now is as good of time as any,” said Austin as he opened up his window and leaned out. “Get ready.”

He launched the grenade at a crowd of zombies blocking our path. Less than ten seconds later, body parts were falling from the sky and landing on the SUV.

“Drive!” yelled Bryce.

Kristie hit the gas and we drove over the remaining mutilated zombies, all of us bouncing around in the SUV.

Eva closed her eyes. “Lord help us,” she said softly.

Another group of zombies were coming straight for us and Austin threw another one, clearing the path yet again with a loud explosion.

“Yes! Well, thank God Austin decided to come with us. Otherwise we’d of had a hell of a time getting through these bastards,” said Kristie.

Bryce looked out the window and mumbled something expletive.

When we finally made it out of the zombie-infested parking lot, I wanted to scream for joy. But I knew we weren’t out of danger yet. Zombies were still wandering the streets, looking more aggravated and alert than ever.

“What’s going on with these guys?” asked Kristie. “They seem like they’re in some kind of frenzy or something.”

“They are,” said Austin. “They need blood to sustain, and if they don’t get it, they actually become more violent and ferocious. Once they start to lose more of their body mass, though, they’ll eventually slow down.

“Great,” I sighed.

“What makes you an expert on these things?” asked Bryce.

Austin shrugged. “Bits and pieces of things I’d heard from other soldiers. They’ve been studying their behaviors.”

“Do they know for sure that you’ll turn into one if you’re bitten?” asked Eva.

He nodded. “They believe you will. Some of the people who’ve been bitten are showing signs of very erratic behavior, similar to the zombies. Some have just… died,” he said, his voice getting quieter as he glanced at me.

I looked out the window and sighed heavily. It sounded pretty hopeless for my sister. I was thankful that my mom was with her, but I could only imagine the agony she was going through in Atlanta. I only wished I could get out there somehow, so she wouldn’t have to face it alone.

When we’d finally made it back to my house, everything seemed surreal. There weren’t any zombies wandering in the neighborhood or even the yard, just a shiny black GMC Sierra parked in our driveway.

“Were you expecting company?” asked Bryce, getting out.

I shook my head and ran up the steps. As I put my hand on the doorknob, it burst open and I gasped in surprise.

“Daddy!” I screamed, jumping into his arms.

“Oh, thank God,” he replied, holding me tightly.

“Where’ve you been?” I cried.

He put me down and grimaced. “It’s a long story. Let’s just say the traffic was bad coming home.”

I smiled and wiped the tears from my face.

“Did you… did you find anything out about your mom or sister?” he asked sadly.

We went inside and I told him everything I knew while he sat in silence. When I was finished, he didn’t say a word, he just stood up and went downstairs.

“He needs some time,” said Kristie softly.

I nodded. “If you don’t mind, I’m going to my room to be alone for a while.”

Bryce squeezed my hand as I stood up. “Let me know if you need me, Wild.”

On my way to my bedroom I stopped in the kitchen for some water. Eva was sitting alone at the counter, staring at her clasped hands. She looked up. “Oh, it’s you. Tell me, what… what do we do now?” she asked, her face a mess of tears and make-up.

I was about to respond when my dad stepped into the kitchen. He was dressed in military camouflage and carrying two very impressive rifles that I’d never seen before. The determined look in his eyes gave me the chills.

“What next?” he asked, setting the guns down. “We go find them, all of them.”

“But is it safe?” I breathed.

He looked at me. “Cassie, we’re a family and I won’t be apart from any of you, ever again. We’re going to Atlanta as soon as possible.”

“Really?” I asked.

“Oh yes,” he said, a half-crazed look in his eyes. He lifted one of the guns back up and smiled humorlessly. “Let the games begin…”

***

End of Book One

Book Two

1

Like most children growing up, I was afraid of the dark. Or, rather, what was lurking inside of it. Every night, I’d insist on having a nightlight in my room and beg my mother to keep my bedroom door open. Most nights, she’d be tucking me into bed, reassuring me that there weren’t any boogiemen hiding under it, nor were there any monsters watching from outside of my window. When that wasn’t enough to satisfy me, she’d sigh wearily, look me straight in the eye, and say, “Wild One, your daddy will shoot anyone or anything that tries to harm you, so please, just go back to sleep.”

That statement made perfect sense to me; my daddy had lots of guns and he certainly knew how to use them. So, I’d finally relax and fall asleep, content with the fact that he wouldn’t let anything harm me or my sister. Little did I know that my mother’s promise would someday come back to haunt us; when we’d discover that there were indeed monsters and that daddy was only human. He couldn’t protect his daughters every second of the day. This rang especially true when the zombies arrived in Wolf Creek and all hell broke loose.

***

It had been only four days since our lives were completely shattered. An untested flu vaccine had basically killed most of the population, leaving in its wake, horrors that fed upon the rest of us who were struggling to survive. Now, many of my loved ones were missing, including my mother and younger sister, Allie. My father and I were in the process of preparing to search for them; apparently my sister had been attacked by a zombie and mom had taken her to the only place she could think of for help – the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Miraculously, some scientists were still alive, racing to fix the mayhem they’d helped to create. Now, ironically, they were our only hope.

“Cassie!” hollered my father from the kitchen, which was just down the hall from my bedroom.

I opened my eyes. “Yeah, hold on. I’m coming!”

I was sprawled out in my bed, lying down with Goldie, a young Golden Retriever puppy I’d helped to rescue a couple of days before. She’d worn herself out by getting into my closet and tearing up some of my old stuffed animals. Not that I cared much, she gave me something I needed right now; a reason to smile. And watching her play made it happen every time.

I crawled out of bed and glanced back at her. “Are you coming with, girl?”

She stretched out her front paws, then jumped off the bed and followed me to the kitchen.

“Hey,” I said.

My dad looked up and smiled. “Hi, sweetheart.” He was sitting at the kitchen table cleaning some of his many guns.

“Hi, Wild,” said Bryce, sitting across from my dad, apparently helping. He’s my karate instructor, as well as the guy I’m hopelessly in lust with.

“So, I have a plan,” said my dad. There were dark shadows under his brown eyes and wisps of silvery-gray hair near his temples that seemed to have sprouted overnight. “All three of us are going back to my dealership to pick up a suitable vehicle for the trip to Atlanta. Jesus,” he rubbed a hand over his forehead, “it’s a good thing they installed those backup generators after the floods last year, or we’d never have access to the fuel pumps. Anyway, I’m thinking a Suburban or an Escalade would be a good choice.”

“Oh? Why can’t we just save time and take the truck you brought home yesterday? That thing could plow through zombies like nothing.”

My dad had borrowed a Sierra from the Chevrolet dealership he works for. He’d been M.I.A. during the initial zombie attacks, and I’d almost given up on him until he surprised us all by making it home yesterday.

He smiled at my last comment. “Plow through zombies, huh? Well that may be so, but it’s not big enough to hold everyone. There are, what, six of us going? And you can’t forget the two dogs. We certainly can’t leave them behind.”

I raised my eyebrows. “Six of us?”

“Bobby and I are coming with,” replied Bryce, “and don’t forget your personal bodyguard, Austin.”

Bryce was coming with? On account of my dad, I tried not to squeal in pleasure. He wasn’t aware of my feelings for Bryce, and knowing him, he wouldn’t be too fond of the idea. My dad was overprotective of both of his daughters and didn’t think any boy was good enough for them.

Bryce was also keeping his distance. He’d already expressed mixed feelings about starting a relationship with someone who was three years younger – and one of his karate students. His mentors had been strictly against involving one’s self with a student, and Bryce had even received a tongue-lashing about flirting with me from the Karate Master a few days before. It hadn’t stopped either of us in weak moments of passion, however; we’d shared a few hot and steamy kisses; ones that had left my knees weak and my heart doing flip flops.

“Oh, well, that’s nice,” I said, trying not to sound too excited.

Just then, Eva entered the kitchen, a girl I’d known from high school. We weren’t exactly friends, and as far as I was concerned, she was a selfish and arrogant nitwit who’d recently stolen my best friend, Paige’s boyfriend. Now, her newest conquest seemed to be Bryce, who was so naïve about the whole thing. Needless to say, I wasn’t happy that we had to drag her along for the ride. Her mother had also been injured by a zombie, so for now, Eva was our problem until we could drop her ass off in Atlanta.

“When did Kristie and the others leave?” she asked, yawning. I was happy to see that she was wearing a long T-shirt and shorts, and not one of her “rub it in your face” expensive designer outfits or short, skimpy nighties that left little to the imagination.

“They left a few hours ago. Sara, Megan, and Hannah tagged along,” I answered, pulling my long, brown hair into a ponytail.

Kristie had taken her daughters, Paige and Kylie, along with three other survivors, to the safety of her mother’s cabin in Wisconsin. Apparently, they were under the assumption that the zombies preferred the luxuries of city life a little more than the deep woods. Unlike our home, the cabin not only had a large generator, but also a good supply of food that could keep them comfortable for a few weeks. We were going to try and meet up with the group later, and Kristie had given my dad directions.

Eva’s face lit up. “Great. Now I don’t have to put up with Paige’s snide comments. Just because her boyfriend dumped her doesn’t mean she has to take it out on me.”

I wanted to punch her. “Like you didn’t have a hand in that,” I muttered under my breath.

She apparently heard me, because she tried to look innocent but ended up failing miserably. “Well, maybe she doesn’t know how to treat a man. I’m sure Bryce would even agree with me when I say that a guy wants to feel appreciated and not like their girlfriend is always trying to show them up.”

I glared at her, even though I was trying my best to remain calm. I knew exactly what she was referring to this time: Bryce and myself.

“Well, if the guy has enough self-confidence, then he wouldn’t feel threatened by his girlfriend’s independent nature,” I snapped, feeling my eye twitch.

“How ‘bout those Vikings last season?” interrupted my dad. “Bryce, are you a football fan?”

“Definitely, but I’ve always been more of a Packers fan myself,” he replied, loading my dad’s new Berretta. “The Vikings just can’t seem to get their stuff together.”

I cringed. My dad was a huge Vikings fan, through and through. I knew that housing a “Packer Backer” would be a giant thorn in his side.

My dad scowled. “Son, saying anything negative about the Vikings in this house is bad for your health. I’ll let it slide this time because you’re holding that loaded gun.”

“Oh, dad,” I laughed, nervously, “you’re such a kidder.”

“Did someone say Vikings?” drawled Austin as he swaggered into the kitchen. “I may be from Texas, but I have to say, I’ve always enjoyed watching those guys throw the ball around.”

Austin was the ruggedly handsome military soldier my mother had saved the night the zombies started waking up all over the world. He’d been shot in the shoulder by some hysterical woman, thinking he was trying to attack her. My mother had risked her life by driving him to the hospital, and now he felt he owed something to her. This included being my personal bodyguard. Needless to say, Bryce wasn’t exactly thrilled with the idea.

Bryce rolled his eyes. “When do you find time to watch the Vikings, Tex? Between sweeping up hay and saving damsels in distress?”

Austin smiled smugly. “What can I say? I’m a man of many talents.”

“Well, I, for one, think that it’s wonderful that you are helping us, Austin,” gushed Eva. “I’m sure Cassie’s mom will be especially delighted to find out you have such a soft spot for her daughter.”

My face turned beet-red. Now I really wanted to hurt her. The truth was, Austin and I hardly knew each other, but she was acting like we had something special going on between us.

“Well,” beamed Austin, “not only is she beautiful, but she has a lot of fire in her belly. This little filly isn’t afraid of anything,” he said, staring at me. “If you ask me, it’s quite an honorable trait.”

Everyone turned toward me, their eyes filled with amusement. I just shrugged.

Bryce turned back to Austin and snorted. “Are you referring to Cassie or a horse?”

“Listen up, kids, let’s get serious, here,” interrupted my dad. I could tell his patience was wearing thin. “There are only a few hours of daylight left, so we’d better get a move-on. Austin, you stay here and watch over Eva and the dogs. If everything goes the way I’ve planned, we should be back in less than two hours with a new vehicle and a full tank of gas.”

“I feel more comfortable coming along,” replied Austin. “I promised your wife I’d stay close to Cassie at all times. I’d hate to have anything happen to her. It’s just too dangerous out there.”

My dad turned to Austin, and if looks could kill, he’d be deader than anything I’d shot in the last few days. He smiled coldly. “I think I can take care of my own daughter, Tex,” he replied in a strained voice.

“For the last time, I can take care of myself,” I stated. “I think I’ve proven that in the last few days.”

Bryce nodded. “She did a great job, too. Tex could probably take some lessons from her.”

Austin shook his head. “I didn’t mean any insult, sir. I’m just a man of my word and I promised Kris I’d protect her daughter in any way that I could.”

“That’s very honorable, but I think you’d better stay with Eva and Bobby. They need protection, too,” replied my dad.

“Well, Bryce could stay here,” interrupted Eva. “Keep us safe.”

Over my dead body, I thought as she twirled her long, red hair around her fingernail and stared at him hungrily. Bryce, as usual, remained impassive.

My dad shook his head. “No, I need Bryce to cover me at the dealership. Unlike Austin, his shoulder isn’t injured and things could get pretty nasty. Cassie needs to accompany us so that she can drive the Sierra back. I might need that truck again.”

“Sounds like a plan. I’m going to change my clothes,” I said tightly, leaving the kitchen. I didn’t trust myself around Eva, especially with all the loaded weapons sitting on the table.

2

When we stepped outside of the house, several zombies greeted us with open arms.

“Stay back, honey,” ordered my dad, raising his gun.

“Oh crap, dad,” I motioned toward one of the zombies. “Look, it’s Schmitty.”

My dad groaned at the sight of our neighbor, who was now among the undead. They’d been semi- friends, and to see him walking around with half his torso ripped apart, was unsettling.

“Sorry, man,” he told the zombie as it lumbered toward us with its mouth open wide. “I hate to be the one to rub it in your face, now, err… what’s left of it, but, guess I won our little gun debate.”

Schmitty had always been dead-set against firearms. He was always berating my dad about having them in the house, especially when there were children present. But, we’d always kept them in our safe down in the basement, until now.

I turned away from the sound of my dad firing his rifle and watched as Bryce shot three zombies, who couldn’t have been more than fourteen when they’d changed. I recognized them as well; they’d also lived in the neighborhood. My sister, Allie, had actually started crushing on one of them, a boy named Jason. He had always been a troublemaker with a smart mouth, which hadn’t sat well with my dad. In fact, earlier this spring, Jason had ridden his skateboard around the cul-de-sac, showing off, when my dad had arrived home from work. He’d purposely been in my dad’s way and had taken his own sweet time moving. Then, later that evening, my dad had found him trying to kiss Allie and had really blown his top. He’d yelled at Jason, who’d only smirked and taken off on his skateboard.

“Dad,” I said, as we got into the truck.

“What?”

“Bryce killed the zombie who was trying to kiss Allie a couple months ago.”

“He was a zombie, huh?”

I nodded.

He closed his eyes and sighed. “Well, she’s definitely not dating that boy now.”

“Ha-ha,” I said.

Bryce jumped into the truck, looking very pale. “I just can’t get used to killing these kids.”

“Remember, they aren’t kids. Not anymore,” said my dad.

“Still, it doesn’t make it easier,” said Bryce.

“Hey, dad?” I asked, looking across the street.

“Yeah?”

“Why don’t we just use the Hendrickson’s van? They won’t need it anymore.”

He shook his head. “Hell no. I’m not touching that thing, he bought it used and didn’t buy it from me. For all I know it, could conk out any minute.”

“Oh,” I said.

“I also know for a fact that one of the Hendricksons wore adult diapers. Allie told me she saw them carry a big box in one day. From the urine smell in their house, they didn’t get changed often enough.”

Bryce and I cringed.

“I much prefer that ‘new car smell’, not the ‘old crotch smell’, you know what I’m saying?”

I looked at him in horror. “Oh, my God, dad! That’s so gross!”

He smiled innocently. “What?”

Bryce laughed and I reached over and smacked his shoulder. “Don’t encourage him!”

My dad, who was still chuckling at his own gross humor, started the engine and we left for the dealership with Bryce riding shotgun and myself in the back. The Sierra’s club cab was a little tight for a full-sized adult, and I could see why we definitely needed something roomier. Especially if everyone was going with us to Atlanta.

As we began driving, I noticed most of the roads were deserted and there were only a handful of zombies in the vicinity of my neighborhood. We shot the few that were shuffling lifelessly down the road to lessen the chance of them finding their way back to our house.

“Check that out,” said Bryce, pointing toward a small group of zombies near the local movie theater. They were about two hundred yards away and moving pretty quickly. As their gaunt, white bodies lumbered closer to us, we slowed down to study them.

My dad pulled out a pair of binoculars. “These guys are pretty emaciated. I’m surprised they’re moving this quickly.”

“Dad, I’ve heard they get more aggressive when they’re starving,” I answered.

“These guys must be famished, because they’re coming in strong.”

Bryce turned to me. “Wild, do you have any weapons on you?”

“No,” I sighed. “I don’t know what I was thinking.” I wanted to kick myself for being so careless. I’d set the war hammer down on our patio in the backyard while taking Goldie outside to pee. Like a moron, I left it there.

“It’s okay, sweetheart. I’m sure we’ll be fine with our guns. Damn, get ready to fire, Bryce,” ordered my dad.

Bryce raised his rifle, and as they moved closer, started blasting away. When he hesitated for a moment, I noticed the young zombie girl in front leading the pack. She was scampering toward us, her brown hair bouncing in the air behind her. The zombie couldn’t have been more than four or five years old. It was disturbing, to say the least.

Bryce’s lips curled in disgust. “Another kid, this is just sickening,” he mumbled.

As the little girl got closer, I could see the features of her face and it was a mask of terror.

“Wait!” my dad and I yelled, simultaneously. He then tossed his binoculars aside, threw the truck in park and flew out the door, cussing. I watched as he ran toward the frightened girl with his gun raised, firing at the closest zombies, trying to reach for her. When he made it to the child, he lifted her into his arms and started running back with four zombies closing in quickly.

Bryce hopped out of the truck and continued firing at the zombies. One of them caught up to my dad, threw himself forward, and would have taken both of them down if Bryce’s shot hadn’t been so accurate. He quickly took care of the last three and I was able to breathe again.

“Take her,” said my dad, opening the cab door.

I grabbed the girl, who was sobbing, and held her in my arms. Her body was trembling as she clung to me like I was some sort of life preserver.

My dad and Bryce jumped back into the truck.

“She okay?” asked my dad, still out of breath.

I somehow peeled the little girl off of me and looked into her small face, which was dirty and flushed from running. Her lips were dry and she looked very frail. I still couldn’t believe she was alive.

“She’s terrified,” I said, staring into her haunted blue eyes.

“Give her some water,” said Bryce, handing me a bottle.

The little girl took it from me and began drinking greedily. When she started choking, I patted her gently on the back. “Slow down,” I murmured.

“Great shooting, Bryce,” said my father as he wiped the sweat from his forehead, using the back of his hand. “Damn, those zombies are getting more agile.”

“Yeah, I was getting a little worried back there. That one almost took you both out,” replied Bryce.

“Well, if it wasn’t for you, things would have gotten much uglier. I appreciate your good aim.”

“Seriously, though, can it get much uglier?” mumbled Bryce, looking at the girl. “Bunch of zombies chasing down a little girl for a quick snack. How she’s still alive is a mystery to me.”

“It’s definitely a miracle,” answered my dad.

My heart swelled as I thought of Bryce and the way he’d saved my dad and the little girl. Sitting in the backseat, I had the most incredible urge to run my hands through his dark, wavy hair and nuzzle the side of his neck. He was so damn sexy and I was already missing his incredible mouth. Right now, it was a struggle to keep my hands off of him; instead, I tried to focus on the child in my arms

I cleared my throat. “Honey, what’s your name?” I asked the little girl.

She stared at me silently, her eyes like a frightened rabbit. When she didn’t respond the second time I asked, Bryce turned around and gently touched her curly brown hair.

“It’s okay, you’re safe with us. We won’t let anything happen to you,” he said softly.

The little girl’s eyes grew round and filled with tears. She then threw her arms around my neck and began howling in terror again.

He lifted his hands and gave me a bewildered look. “What?”

I gave him a reassuring smile. “She’s obviously traumatized, Bryce. Don’t take it personally. If anything, you’re her hero.”

Our eyes met and held. Remembering the passion in our kiss the other day, I felt the heat creeping up to my cheeks. He must have sensed my thoughts, because he smiled devilishly and licked his lips.

My father spoke up and broke the spell. “We’re almost there, guys. Let’s hope the zombies aren’t shopping for cars.”

I snorted. “Hey, you were the one complaining about lack of customers the other day. I’ll bet they’d be an easy sale, dad.”

With a wry smile, my dad said, “Some of them zombies are so passive. I could probably sell them on extended warranties, too. I wonder if they can still hold a pen even with rigor mortis?”

“They’d probably just sign it in your blood,” I replied.

Bryce interrupted us. “You know, I’ve been thinking, if we keep picking up extra passengers, we might need two vehicles.”

“That sounds like a good idea. And, if one breaks down, we’d still have the other as backup,” replied my dad.

“Let’s do it then,” smiled Bryce.

“I have access to any car I want. This could be very interesting.”

I looked at my dad. “Just don’t take that corvette you were eyeing last week, dad. That thing is only a two-seater.”

My dad sighed and rubbed his stubbly chin. “Thanks so much for bursting my bubble, daughter dearest.”

“Corvette, huh? That would have been a sweet ride,” said Bryce.

“You’re telling me, Bryce. The one the showroom floor is a ZR1 with 638 horsepower.”

While they talked cars, I looked down at the girl in my arms. She’d stopped crying and was now asleep. Her little blue sundress was ripped to shreds and because she was shoeless, her feet were torn up and bloody.

“I can’t believe this little girl survived out there with those things,” I said.

Bryce turned around again. “Someone must have been taking care of her at one point.”

“Maybe,” I sighed, laying her down on the seat next to me. She suddenly reminded me of how much I missed my younger sister. Although Allie was already twelve, it seemed like just yesterday when I used to carry her around in my arms. She’d idolized me, but, like most siblings, I’d taken it for granted. If I ever got the chance to hold her in my arms again, I probably wouldn’t want to ever let go.

We passed the exit leading to St. James, the hospital where my mother had taken Austin. Several severely decomposed zombies were stumbling down the frontage road we’d taken previously.

“I wonder how St. James is holding up,” I murmured. If it hadn’t been for Austin’s grenades, I still don’t know if we’d have made it out alive.

Bryce looked back at me. “I doubt they’re holding up at all. There had to be close to five hundred zombies surrounding that hospital when we left.”

“Well, I guess I do owe Austin for helping to protect you,” said my dad.

“Austin’s a nice guy. He’s just trying to fulfill an obligation he feels he owes mom. It’s a little irritating, but I guess I sort of understand it,” I said.

“That and the fact that he has the hots for you,” snickered Bryce.

“What?” asked my dad.

I snorted. “He doesn’t have the hots for me, Bryce.”

“I don’t think you even know when someone has the hots for you, Cassie,” answered Bryce.

My dad looked at Bryce, his eyes narrowing. “What exactly is that supposed to mean?”

Bryce cleared his throat. “I’m just saying that Austin obviously likes her and she doesn’t even see it.”

“It doesn’t matter if he likes me,” I replied. “I’m not interested.”

“Good,” replied both Bryce and my dad at the same time.

3

After navigating around several abandoned vehicles on the freeway, and killing some curiously alert zombies, we finally pulled into my dad’s car dealership. Thankfully, it appeared both lifeless as well as deadless.

“Okay,” said my dad, parking in front of the large glass entrance. “Cassie, you jump into the driver’s spot as soon as we exit the truck. When we find a couple of suitable vehicles, we’ll pull around with them.”

“Got it,” I said.

Bryce glanced at me and I thought for a brief moment that he was going to kiss me, just like he did the last time we were getting ourselves into a dangerous situation. Instead, he pursed his lips and jumped out of the truck.

“Wimp,” I muttered. He was definitely staying cool around my dad. I knew it was a matter of respect, but it was also very boring.

I watched both of them as they entered the dealership. Carrying the rifles, they reminded me of two outlaws getting ready to rob a bank, and I was their nervous getaway driver.

I heard a whimper from the backseat and turned to see the little girl, now awake and sitting up. She still looked very frightened and her eyes darted from window to window.

“Hi,” I tried again. “I’m Cassie, what’s your name?”

She didn’t say anything.

“Can you talk?”

She stared at me for a moment then stuck her thumb into her mouth.

“Don’t worry, you’re safe with me in this big truck,” I reassured her. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”

The little girl’s face suddenly turned white and she began to shriek so loud, I thought my eardrums were going to burst.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, trying to reach her hand.

She pointed to my side window and when I turned, I screamed at the horror just inches from my face. A tall zombie with maggots crawling from open sores all over his mottled face was staring hungrily at me. One eye had been ripped out, and his dark black hair hung below his shoulders with large tufts missing from his rotting skull.

“Fuck!” I shouted and then cringed. I turned to the little girl and smiled sheepishly. “Um, sorry; that’s a naughty word, don’t ever repeat it.”

To my surprise, she smiled.

The zombie began to make demonic growling sounds outside of my window again. Before I could react, he’d found the door handle and was jiggling it as if attempting to get in. When the door actually began to open, I gasped in shock then jerked it back hard.

The zombie shrieked in anger and tried again, this time without success, only because I’d locked it.

I stared at him and shivers ran down my spine; these zombies were intelligent enough to open doors now?

“No!!!” cried the little girl. She was pounding on the inside of her door and scratching at the windows, trying to escape.

“Hey, it’s okay, honey. The doors are locked. You’re totally safe in here,” I said, trying to calm her down. “The guys will be back and they’ll shoot this thing. They have big scary guns.”

She must have understood what I was trying to say because just like that, she quit crying and stuck her thumb back into her mouth.

“Good girl,” I said, smiling.

Then the frustrated zombie started throwing a tantrum. He began pounding on the windows, growling and shrieking, wrecking what little progress I’d made with the terrified girl. When she opened her mouth and began to sob hysterically again, I completely lost it. I unlocked the door and slammed it hard against the salivating zombie, who in turn, lost his balance and toppled to the ground. I hopped out of the truck, raised my foot, and kicked him hard in the head with my mountain boot. When he lifted himself back up to try and reach me, he was met with a hard swivel kick, which sent him flying backwards.

“You couldn’t just leave well enough alone, could you?” I snarled down at the stunned zombie. “You just had to freak the poor child out all over again. Well, dumbass, you asked for this!”

I kicked him several times in the head as hard as I could while he tried desperately to grab my leg. This went on for several seconds, me kicking him in the head and him asking for more. When he finally stopped moving, I came to my senses and my stomach rolled with nausea; the zombie’s face was one big smear of gore.

Someone cleared their throat and I turned around.

“Honey?” asked my dad who’d pulled up in a brand new Yukon during my tantrum. He tilted his head and smiled wryly. “Is it your special time of the month?”

“Ha-ha… you’re next, old man,” I said with a sneer. He was always giving my mom, my sister, and I crap about our moods during a certain time of the month. Yes, he walked a very fine line in a household of three women.

“Wow,” said Bryce, who suddenly appeared, driving some kind of souped-up conversion van with tall, meaty tires. “I guess we know who won the battle. Good going, Wild!”

I looked at the carnage I’d caused again and sighed. “Hate to say this, but these zombies are learning some new tricks.”

“What do you mean?” asked my dad.

“This one was able to open the door to the truck,” I said.

“Shit,” said my dad, rubbing a hand over his face. “Next they’ll be learning to pick locks.”

“Hey, get back in the truck!” yelled Bryce. “There’s more heading this way!”

I turned and saw about ten zombies rushing through the lot of new cars and they were coming straight for us. I scrambled back to the Sierra, got inside, and locked the door. As they drew closer, my dad and Bryce shot them all in the head.

“Brooke,” whispered a tiny voice in the backseat. “I’m Brooke.”

I turned around and found the little girl smiling shyly at me. I returned her smile and then started the engine. “Well, it’s very nice to meet you, Brooke. Let’s go and meet your new family.”

4

When we arrived back at my house, I washed the bloody mess still left on my boot with the yard hose then carried Brooke, who’d fallen asleep, inside. It was getting dark and I was glad to see Austin and Eva had lit more candles throughout the house.

Goldie began barking happily as soon as she saw us and then tried to jump on my legs to get a better look at Brooke.

“Not now, girl,” I murmured, trying not to trip over the excited dog.

I laid Brooke down on one of the cots my mom had used for the daycare and covered her with a light blanket. She was still filthy, but I figured she needed the rest more than a bath at the moment.

“Hey, where’d you find the little one?” asked Austin, coming up behind me.

I turned to find him standing very close so I took a step back. “Zombies where chasing her near the movie theater. We almost shot her, thinking she was one of them.”

He kneeled down and touched her hair. “Wow, I’m surprised she’s alive,” he said softly.

I nodded. “You and me both.”

Austin stood up and smiled at me. His shirt was open and it looked like he’d changed the dressing on his wound. I tried not gawk at his chiseled pecs but they were hard to ignore.

I swallowed. “Um, so how’s your shoulder?”

He lifted his arm and winced. “It’s... healing. It’d feel much better if I had something more for the pain other than aspirin.”

I frowned. “Didn’t they give you anything stronger at the hospital?”

“Hell no they didn’t.  But, come to think about it, one of the other soldiers in my troop had some Vicodin stored in his duffel bag.” He rubbed his chin and stared off into space. “You know, I’ll bet it still there, too.”

“Where’s his bag?” I asked.

“We’d left all of our military vehicles about three blocks west of here,” he replied.

I touched his arm. “Hey, maybe Bryce can drive you back and you can pick it up.”

His face hardened. “The hell if I’m asking that guy for anything; he’s got something against me.”

“No, he doesn’t,” I lied.

He smirked and shook his head. “Wild, you’re not a very good liar.”

I studied Austin; with his blond hair, thick lashes, and wide “aw, shucks” grin, he reminded me of an All-American cowboy; a pretty handsome one at that. I figured Bryce felt a little threatened, which was ridiculous. My heart already belonged to him.

“He’s just being protective. Bryce has this insane idea that you’re sweet on me,” I said, rolling my eyes. “I told him to quit being such a dope; that you’re just trying to help.”

A slow smile spread across his face and his light brown eyes burned into mine. “Tell you the truth, that very same thought crossed my mind, as well.”

I wasn’t sure if he was talking about Bryce or being sweet on me so I looked away and quickly changed the subject to food. “Did you hear that? I believe that was my stomach. I don’t know about you, but I’m starving,” I said, patting my tummy.

He shook his head and chuckled. “I’m fine,” he said, then followed me into the kitchen.

I opened up one of the cupboards and located some dill pickle potato chips. Setting the bag on the counter, I began washing my hands. “Want some?” I asked, glancing his way.

He leaned back against the opposite counter and winked. “Don’t let me come between you and your dill pickles.”

I laughed out loud. “She told you, didn’t she?” My mother must have mentioned that I was a dill pickle fanatic. I could eat them in my sleep. In fact, many nights I’d gotten up to have one for a late night snack.

He nodded and pointed to the towel I was drying my hands with. “She also told me about your little germ phobia. She actually thought it was cute.”

“Cute?” I said, smiling sadly. My mother found humor in almost everything. It made her that much more lovable. I missed her so much.

“Yes. She wanted to keep me awake during the ride to the hospital, so she kept rambling on about anything she could think of. Your mom’s a special lady. I admire her tremendously.”

I looked away so he wouldn’t see the tears gathering in my eyes. I knew my mom was safe now, and that it was my little sister who was in real danger, but it didn’t soothe the ache in my heart. I loved them both so much and couldn’t wait to get to Atlanta.

He cleared his throat. “So, besides finding the little girl, how was your trip to the dealership?”

I told him about my episode with the zombie and how he’d been wise enough to open the door.

He frowned. “Well, it certainly sounds like they’re evolving into something a little more dangerous.”

Just then, my father stepped into the kitchen and tossed me a brand new automobile charger for my cell phone.

“Awesome, dad!” I shrieked, throwing my arms around him. “Now I can charge my phone so mom can finally reach us!”

He frowned. “I lost my damn phone a few days ago, so yours is the only way we can communicate with her. Start charging it right away.”

I nodded, feeling giddy for the first time since Bryce had taken me by surprise and kissed me in the garage the other day.

My dad rubbed his eyes and yawned. “Listen, kids, I’m going to bed. I can’t remember the last time I’ve even slept.”

“Yeah, we definitely could use you alert when you’re behind the wheel,” I answered.

He nodded. “It’s about a twenty hour drive so I’d like to leave here at daybreak if that works for you? In fact, why don’t you get everyone to start packing some supplies for our trip? There’s bottled water and a boatload of non-perishable food items in your mom’s pantry.”

I smiled. “I guess her using all those coupons and stockpiling up on snacks for the daycare really paid off.”

My dad’s eyes grew moist and he looked away. “Yeah, and I used to give her so much crap about it.”

I squeezed his arm. “Don’t worry, dad, she knows it’s just your way.”

He sighed. “Well, get that phone charged,” he said. “I need to find out what’s happening to our baby girl.”

***

After I went into the garage and plugged my phone into the truck, Austin followed me downstairs where we found Eva reading through a stack of children’s magazines on the loveseat in my dad’s Man Cave. Bryce was snoring softly on the sofa next to her.

“Having fun?” I asked her.

She snorted and put down the magazine she was leafing through. “God, I’m so bored. I’ve been trying to wake Bryce to see if he would play cards or something, but he’s being such a fuddy-duddy.”

I gave her an incredulous look. “Wake him up? Let him sleep! He’s going to be driving to Atlanta soon and needs the rest. My dad is trying to do the same thing.”

“Shucks, I can drive, too, if they need me,” said Austin. “We can take turns.”

“Austin, that’s not the point. As usual, Eva thinks the world revolves around her and who cares about anyone else.”

Eva smirked. “Wow, are you on the rag, Wild?”

“Nice comeback, brain-dead,” I snapped.

“Can’t we all just get along?” mumbled Bryce, who was now, apparently, awake. He had one of his eyes open and looked a tad grumpy.

Before I could respond, there was a pounding at the front door. The two dogs, Goldie and Chi Chi, who was Eva’s Chihuahua, began barking madly.

Bryce jumped off the couch and raced up the stairs, and I quickly followed. When he raised his rifle and threw open the front door, my heart sank.

5

“Oh God, what happened?” I asked.

Sara walked in with an arm around Kristie, who appeared devastated. They were followed by the rest of the girls, also looking very somber.

I picked up Megan, who was holding Kylie’s hand. The poor two-year-old appeared bewildered by everyone’s misery.

“Let me take her downstairs,” said Bryce softly, motioning to Megan.

I gave her a kiss on the forehead and then handed her over to him. When they were gone, I asked again. “Well, what happened?”

“It was... horrible,” shuddered Sara, Megan’s mother, who’s about six months pregnant.

I looked behind them toward the front door; someone was missing. “Where’s Hannah?”

Kristie covered her face and began sobbing.

“She… the zombies got her,” choked Paige who also started to cry.

I looked down and noticed her metal bat, which she’d carried everywhere with her. It was covered with something dark and grisly.

Sara cleared her throat. “When we arrived at the cabin, we found Kristie’s family… dead. There were two zombies in the house; one of them attacked and killed Hannah before we could do anything.”

I covered my mouth in horror, unable to speak.

Kylie, a miniature version of her mother, began crying. I reached over and took her into my arms. She was only thirteen and had been through so much living hell this week that she’d probably need therapy for the rest of her years, along with the rest of us.

“Oh, they’re back,” griped Eva as she trudged up the stairs, followed by Austin. The look of contempt she gave Paige was enough to set me off.

“Listen, Eva,” I snarled, “get the hell away from us before I go find my hammer and pound some sense into that gaping hole between your ears.”

Eva’s mouth dropped open and before she could respond, Austin grabbed her arm, pulling her back downstairs and away from my angry red face. When she was gone, I released a ragged sigh then turned to Kristie, who was actually smiling through her tears.

“Damn, girl, you’ve been hanging around us too long, haven’t you?” she said.

I shrugged. “No, it’s just P.M.S.”

***

About an hour later, Kristie and the other girls retired to the Daycare area to get some rest before we left for the road trip. There was nothing holding anyone back in Wolf Creek, so it was decided that they’d also accompany us to Atlanta. Safety was in numbers, and we didn’t need any more casualties in this zombie war.

I knew we’d need more food for the road trip, so I grabbed two large coolers from the garage and brought them to the kitchen where I bumped into Bryce, Bobby, and Megan. It was well after midnight and Bryce had taken a shower. He now wore nothing but a pair of low-riding blue jeans. He must have sensed that I was staring at his body, which was rock-hard in all the right places. He smiled wickedly and pointed toward his face. “Hey, Wild, my eyes are up here.”

I bit back a smile and turned toward his brother. “Hi, Bobby, how’s my favorite man?”

“I’m not a man,” he said, looking at me like I was nuts. Bobby was only six and so adorable that he made my heart ache. Their mother was killed by a zombie and now he was Bryce’s full responsibility, which, truthfully, wasn’t all that different from before. Their mother was an alcoholic and hadn’t always treated her youngest, who also had Down’s Syndrome, exactly the way a loving mother should.

I bent down and ruffled his dark hair. “What are you talking about? You help to take care of Megan and your big brother, don’t you?”

He nodded slowly and a smile grew on his face. “Yeah… you’re right!”

“Well, in my book that’s quite a responsibility. I’m going to call you my ‘little man’, if that’s okay?” I asked him.

He gave me a big hug and then turned to Megan, who was playing with Barbie dolls on the linoleum floor. “Megan, if you need a ride somewhere, I can drive you. I’m a man now!”

Bryce chuckled. “You have no idea what you’ve started, Wild.”

I cleared my throat and changed the subject. “Guess what, Bobby? There’s a new little girl close to your age in the Daycare area. Her name’s Brooke.”

His eyes lit up. “Can I play with her?”

“In a little while,” I said. “She’s probably still resting.”

“Okay,” he said.

“Bobby,” said Bryce. “Why don’t you go and start packing your backpack. We’ll be leaving in a couple of hours and you don’t want to forget anything.”

Bobby nodded and took off downstairs, followed by Megan.

“So,” murmured Bryce, stepping into my personal space. He stared into my eyes and my heart began to race. “It looks like we’re alone, finally.”

I licked my lips. “Looks like it,” I whispered.

He tilted my chin and brought his lips to mine. As he started kissing me, a fiery heat spread throughout my entire body, making me quiver. I slid my arms behind his neck, pulling him closer and he released a ragged breath.

“Wild, what are you doing to me?” he groaned and slowly began kissing my neck. His mouth was hot as he burned a trail down my neck and then back up, finally catching my lips again with his own. He pressed against me and my hands slid down and touched the small curve of his hard, muscular buns. He sucked in his breath, pulled away, and closed his eyes.

“What?” I asked, wondering why he’d stopped.

He looked at me again and whispered, “God, you’re innocent… but so damn… enticing.”

His eyes were smoldering with such intense desire that I tingled in places that I’d never even known existed.

“Bryce…” I murmured, pulling him back toward me.

He cupped my face with his hands and brought his soft lips back home to mine, kissing me with so much tenderness, that it brought tears to my eyes. I wanted to lose myself in his kisses forever, and forget about the madness around us.

“Oh, shit,” stammered Austin, walking into the kitchen. He lifted his hands in the air. “Sorry, guys.”

Reluctantly, we pulled apart. Bryce turned to Austin and fixed him with a level stare. “I’ll bet.”

He shrugged. “Believe what you want. We’re almost packed and I just wanted to see if Cassie needed any help.”

Bryce folded his arms across his chest and stood up straighter. “She doesn’t need your help, Tex. Why can’t you get that through your hick brain?”

I swatted Bryce; he could be so cruel when he was angry. “That’s totally not fair, Bryce.”

He frowned. “You just don’t see it, do you?”

I shook my head. “I think that you are seeing too much. You’re acting like an angry bull when there’s no red blanket being waved.”

Austin rubbed his jaw and smirked. “Out of respect for Cassie and her family, I’m going to ignore your ignorance and not kick your ass.”

Bryce took a step toward him, his blue eyes blazing murderously. “I’d like to see you try, asshole.”

Austin’s mouth twitched as he stepped forward, and I immediately positioned myself between them. “Okay, that’s enough.”

At that moment Kristie stormed into the kitchen, her face stricken. “Save it, boys, we’ve got some real problems right now. Bobby and the new girl are missing!”

6

Before I could register the meaning of her words, Bryce bolted out of the kitchen and down the stairs, hollering for Bobby.

Austin sighed and soon followed suit.

I turned to Kristie. “How do you know he’s missing? I thought you were sleeping?”

She closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead. “Kylie woke me up and said she’d left Bobby and the new girl alone so she could use the bathroom. When she returned to the Daycare area, both children were missing. She was concerned because the little girl said she wanted her mommy and Bobby had promised to drive her at some point.”

I groaned and charged downstairs to check the garage, just in case; if a zombie could figure a way to open a door, who knows what a couple of kids might accomplish. I sighed with relief to find both the van and the Yukon still sitting there; although there were no sign of the children. When I stepped back into the house, Bryce was fully dressed and rushing to put his shoes on with a rifle resting on the floor next to him.

“They’re both gone,” he growled. “So is that puppy we found.” He then stormed out of the house.

Goldie’s gone, too?

I ran to the deck where I’d left my war hammer, grabbed it, and then charged back toward the front door.

“Where do you think you’re going?” asked Austin, appearing out of nowhere. He folded his arms across his chest, reminding me of my dad when he’s about ready to scold me.

“Outside,” I told him. “I have to find those kids.”

“Bryce is already out there looking. It’s late and much too dangerous for you.”

I shook my head. “It’s my fault they’re missing. I have to help search for them.”

He sighed. “That’s totally ridiculous; it’s not your fault, Cassie.”

“It is. I actually told Bobby he was a man and now he’s trying to actually be one. I have to help. Now please, for the love of God, move out of my way.”

He bent down and grabbed his combat boots, which were also sitting next to the door. “Fine, then, I’m coming with you.”

Kristie and Paige joined us on the landing.

“We’re coming, too,” said Kristie, raising the Smith and Wesson I’d given her the other day. She motioned toward her oldest daughter. “Besides, Paige could use some extra batting practice. She almost missed the zombie coming after me in the gas station early this morning.”

Paige’s jaw dropped. “Hello? You were the one that said you could take him! It wasn’t my fault he reminded you of Josh Duhamel and you froze up!” She turned to me and sighed. “She’s been hot for that guy ever since she saw him in those ‘Transformer’ movies.”

Kristie giggled like a schoolgirl and squeezed my arm. “Holy crap, did he look like Josh Duhamel! I just couldn’t bring myself to shoot the fellow.”

Paige snorted. “Well, this thing was ready to eat you for breakfast!”

Placing her hands on her hips, Kristie flashed a sardonic grin and said, “Listen, anyone who looks like Josh Duhamel can have himself a little lick, zombie or not.”

Austin threw me an incredulous look, but I couldn’t help but smile a little as I opened the front door. Even in the most stressful situations, those two managed to lighten the mood.

“Mom, that’s really disgusting,” muttered Paige, following us outside into the darkness.

“Oh, Paige, just chill the hell out,” replied Kristie. “You’re no fun.”

As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I could see that there weren’t any signs of Bryce or the missing children.

“Damn it, a flashlight would have been smart,” grumbled Paige.

“Fortunately, the moon’s pretty bright,” stated Austin. “Let’s stay together and keep to the center of the road.” He looked at my war hammer. “Damn, I wish I would have brought a weapon.”

“We’ll cover you,” I said.

We started moving down the middle of the street, past the cul-de-sac, calling out for the kids. I knew it greatly raised the chances of us running into a zombie or two, but it was the only way to get their attention. Besides we hadn’t seen any zombies in the neighborhood for a while.

“Goldie!” I yelled.

There was a faint bark in the distance and we all took off running in the direction of the park. When we arrived at the horrifying scene unfolding by the big slide, my heart stopped. Two zombies lay motionless near the bottom of it, and Bryce was trying to fight off a couple other very vicious ones. Not only were they quick, but surprisingly more calculating in their attacks.

Goldie was there too, whimpering. She raced toward me and I held her close. The dog was smart enough to be afraid of the crazy-looking dead humans.

“Crap,” muttered Paige as three other ones stepped out of the darkness. She raised the bat and started walking toward them.

“Wait, Paige,” I said, a shiver running down my spine. The zombies were advancing toward us slowly, but not because they were having difficulties. They seemed to be studying us, almost like they were preparing an attack.

“A little help here would be nice!” growled Bryce. The zombies he was fighting off appeared to be super-fast, it was all he could do to keep them at bay, and he was a third-degree Black Belt. The only way to kill them was to destroy their brains, and karate chops only slowed them down. “Shoot them in the head, someone… today would be great!”

“For the love of God,” gasped Kristie, who’d just caught up with us, her hands on her knees. “I’m getting too old for this hero shit.”

“It’s the cigarettes, mom,” muttered Paige. “What did you expect?”

Kristie looked at the zombies staring us down. “Well, I could really use one right now,” she said, trying to catch her breath. She turned to Paige and scowled. “It’s funny how my smokes seemed to have disappeared overnight.”

Paige didn’t say anything, she just turned away.

Bryce began hollering at us again, as the zombies he knocked down kept getting back up.

“Just give me your gun,” I said to Kristie. “I’ll take care of this.”

“Oh, sorry,” she said, straightening up. She handed it over and I rushed to the zombies circling Bryce. One of them, a severely rotted male stinking of something far worse than anything rolled up in a diaper, opened its twisted mouth and began shrieking. The other seemed to understand what I was about to do and lumbered toward me with an oddly determined look for a dead man.

I raised the gun and shot them both in the face.

“Thanks,” said Bryce as he staggered toward me and grabbed the gun out of my hands. He took a moment to catch his breath then walked over to the other zombies, who were still studying us, and raised the gun. In a sudden blur, all three zombies came to life and rushed him at once. They were so quick that by the time Bryce fired his rounds, he’d only shot one in the head. The other two ended up knocking him to the ground and his gun was now out of reach.

“Bryce!” I screamed, running toward them just as one of the zombies opened its mouth to attack. Fortunately, Bryce kicked the zombie in the skull several times before he had a chance to do much. We watched as zombie blood sprayed everywhere from the impact of his steel-toed work boots.

“Don’t let him bite you!” I shouted as he tried to keep the other one away from his face, which was scrunched up in a look of disgust.

He laughed without mirth. “Trying really hard not to, Wild! Damn it, these things just reek of shit!”

I tried to get closer but they kept rolling around in the sand. Finally when I had a good angle, I raised the war hammer and slammed it into the zombie’s head.

Bryce, who now lay totally exhausted on the ground, closed his eyes and said, “Wild, next time can you bash the zombie’s skull a little more quickly?”

As I dislodged my weapon, I looked at Bryce, who was covered in bloody visceral and bone. “What is it with you not ever saying, ‘thank you’? It’s a very simple phrase.”

He groaned then jumped to his feet. “Tell you what, I’ll give you something better,” he answered, preparing to kiss me.

I glanced at the carnage left on his shirt and smelled the stench emanating from him. Pointing to his clothing, I said, “No offense, Bryce, but I’ll settle for a hive-five this time.”

He snorted. “That was far… too close. These things are getting much harder to beat. Thank goodness Bobby and Brooke were well hidden in the jungle gym.”

A piercing scream cut through the darkness and we all jumped.

“Help!” shouted Bobby from the other side of the playground. It was dark, but I could make out two small figures on top of a large jungle gym, one being Bobby and the other I assumed to be Brooke.

Austin, who hadn’t said one word the entire time, suddenly came to life. Both guys bolted toward the structure to get to the frightened children and whatever was scaring them. When they reached the top, I heard a strangled type of mewling noise followed by some shuffling.

“Damn it!” hollered Austin, right before I heard the echo of a single gunfire shot.

“You okay?” asked Bryce from somewhere up in the top.

“Just a couple little scratches,” replied Austin as he climbed back off of the equipment. Bryce and Bobby climbed down soon after him.

“Where’s Brooke?” I asked, trying to see in the darkness.

Austin pursed his lips as he stepped closer. He touched my arm and said, “Sorry, Cassie. Brooke attacked us; she was a zombie.”

My chest felt heavy for the little girl but I could also see that Bobby was terrified and needed consolation more than anyone. I walked toward him as Bryce tried to calm the hysterical boy. “It’s okay,” I said softly, putting my arms around him.

“She…she…tried to bite me,” he cried. “I didn’t do anything to her and she tried to bite me.”

“She was very sick,” I whispered into his hair. “Brooke didn’t know what she was doing, sweetie.”

“The little girl must have gotten bit at some point,” said Bryce. “She lunged at Austin and almost ended a certain cowboy’s future career in the rodeo.”

Austin smiled and then held up his hand which was bleeding from the scratches. “No harm, just a few scratches from her nails. She didn’t bite me or anything.”

“Austin,” said Bryce, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Listen, thanks for helping to save Bobby. If you wouldn’t have gotten to Brooke so quickly, she may have bitten him.”

Austin nodded. “Bobby’s a good kid. I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”

“Let’s go back to the house before we run into any more of those things,” said Paige, looking toward the dark trees. “I have this creepy feeling we’re being watched.”

7

“What in the hell is going on?” barked my dad as we trudged into the house.

“Believe me, you don’t want to know,” replied Kristie as she removed her shoes and began rubbing her feet.

Dad looked at Bryce and turned green. “Damn, what happened to you? You look and smell like my brother’s dog after rolling in a pile of shit. Jesus, someone take him outside and spray him down before I lose my breakfast.”

“I can spray down Bryce,” said Eva who suddenly appeared at the top of the stairs holding Chi Chi. The flirtatious smile on her face was nauseating.

I clenched my fists tightly. If anyone needed to be sprayed down with cold water, it was Eva. I was about to offer those words of advice when Kristie grabbed my arm and whispered, “Just let it go.”

“Damn, girl, you’re like a bitch in heat,” stated Paige loudly. “I think you need to be sprayed down with the garden hose. No offense, Goldie sweetie.”

Goldie barked and jumped up on Paige.

Kristie closed her eyes and groaned while I burst out laughing.

“Paige, the only bitch around here is you,” snapped Eva.

“That’s it!” raged Paige, throwing aside her bat. She raced up the stairs only to be blocked by my dad.

“Girls, even though I enjoy a good catfight now and again, there’s absolutely no time for this. Both of you need to mellow out and save your rage for the zombies.”

Paige and Eva continued to glare at each other until Kristie finally separated them.

“So, I heard things didn’t go well at the cabin,” said my dad when Eva finally stormed back downstairs. “I’m really sorry to hear that, Kristie.”

She nodded and looked away. She’d been very close to her mom and the wounds would be fresh for a long time.

“Listen,” announced my dad. “Anyone wishing to tag along with us to Atlanta should be prepared to leave within the hour. It’s almost daybreak and I really want to get a move-on.”

“I think we’re all going,” said Kristie. “The zombies are getting more aggressive and we’re much safer in numbers.”

Dad nodded. “I agree. One hour, everyone, please be ready.”

I went to my room and threw together some clothing and toiletries into a backpack, then went to Allie’s to prepare one for her. I wanted to bring something from home to comfort her.

“Oh, Allie,” I sighed, sitting on her pink and white satiny bedspread. I picked up the stuffed kitty she’d slept with for the last ten years and crushed it to my chest. As I looked around her room, a photo sitting on her bookshelf caught my eye. It was a picture of the both of us at the state fair; I was about ten and she was four. Allie was wearing a sparkly pink cowgirl hat and I had on a blue mohawk wig that our grandmother had just purchased for us. I hadn’t paid much attention to the picture before, but now as I stared at it, tears welled up in my eyes. We were holding hands and she was smiling at me with such loving adoration that it broke my heart. Like most sisters, we had our rough moments, but there was never any doubt in my mind how much she loved me.

“I’m coming, little sister,” I whispered, wiping my eyes. “I’m coming.”

***

“Cassie!” called Austin about ten minutes later. I was still lying on Allie’s bed, staring off into space and holding the prized stuffed animal.

“In Allie’s room!” I answered.

He walked in and closed the door behind him. “I need to talk to you.”

“What’s up?” I asked, getting off the bed; being alone with him in a bedroom felt slightly awkward.

“The pain in my shoulder is getting much worse,” he said slowly, his normally tanned face was very pale. “I really need to find my buddy’s duffel bag. How about taking a quick trip with me to the military vehicles?”

“Better idea; just ask my dad to stop on the way to Atlanta,” I told him. “He’ll do it, no problem.”

He shook his head. “No, I already asked him and he told me it would take up too much time. Please, just come with me. It’s only a couple blocks away. I need you to cover me while I search the truck in case any zombies show up.”

I didn’t think it was a good idea but I could see from the look in his eyes that he was really in rough shape.

“Is it infected? I should probably look at it for you.”

“I’ve already cleaned it, again. I just really need something for the pain, especially if we’re going to be driving around for the next few hours.”

“Fine,” I said, walking out of the bedroom. “I’ll grab Bryce so he can come with us.”

“Bryce is busy helping Bobby pack. We have to go now so we make it back in time.”

I rubbed my forehead and sighed. “Okay, let me grab the war hammer.”

“Thanks,” he said, flashing me a grateful smile.

“Bring a weapon this time,” I said.

“Your dad’s letting me use his ten millimeter Ruger for the trip,” said Austin, holding it up. “It’s already loaded and good to go.”

Ten minutes later, we were sneaking out of the house to get the Vicodin. The sun was just rising and as I looked back toward the house, I saw Eva watching us through the window.

“Great, Eva’s going to open up her big mouth and tell my dad,” I grumbled, glaring at her nosy face.

“Don’t worry about it. Let’s just get to the truck quickly. It’s only about three blocks away.”

We started walking west and ran into our first zombies only a block away from the house.

“Get ready,” I said.

Two of the undead were racing toward us, looking like they’d just won the lottery.

“Save your bullets so my dad doesn’t wonder where they went,” I said, advancing toward the two zombies holding the sharp war hammer.

“No, Cassie,” argued Austin. “Protecting you is my job.” He then raised his gun and shot the first one.

I groaned and swung at the second zombie, hitting him square in the forehead. As I removed my weapon, I said, “You know, Austin, I’m not some little wallflower who can’t take care of herself. If I was, do you think I’d have made it this far?”

He grinned. “I know, darlin’, but it’s really not in my nature to put anyone in danger, let alone a beautiful girl like yourself.”

My cheeks turned pink at the way he was staring at me. “Um, let’s get going before my dad finds out we’re missing.”

He nodded.

We started walking again and I noticed that Austin’s face was getting paler.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

He nodded and touched his shoulder. “I reckon I’ll be much better once I have something stronger for the pain.”

“Be careful,” I whispered as we approached the vehicles. “There could be some zombies crawling around in one of the trucks, especially if you’ve left any food.”

There were three camouflaged military vehicles parked parallel to each other, one of them a large cargo truck. I followed him to that one and he began rummaging through several duffel bags that were lying in the back while I watched for zombies.

“Score,” he said, walking toward me with a huge grin. He was holding a bottle of prescription drugs and the keys to the truck. “Get in; I’ll drive us back to your house.”

I got into the passenger side while he opened the bottle and swallowed a couple of the pills.

“I don’t think you’re supposed to be driving when you take those pills,” I said as he hopped in next to me.

He stared at me, his pale face looking almost feverish and glossy from perspiration.

I touched his arm. “Austin? Are you okay?”

He nodded slowly and looked around as if he was in some kind of daze. Then he licked his lips. “I’ll be fine, don’t worry.”

I grabbed the door handle. “I think it might be better if we walked back or I drove.”

“Do you know how to drive a stick?”

I sighed. “No.”

He sat back in his seat and put the keys in the ignition. “Seriously, Cassie, I don’t think I can walk all the way back to the house. I’ll probably pass out and then you’ll be vulnerable against any zombies. Especially if you’re trying to drag me back with you.”

“Maybe I should go back and get Bryce. I really think it’s too dangerous for you to be driving.”

He stared at me again, his expression was unreadable.

“What?” I asked. The intensity of his gaze was disconcerting.

“I’ll be right back,” he murmured, jumping out of the truck. He walked to the back and I could hear him digging around again.

“We’d really better get going, soon!” I yelled. “My dad is going to totally wig out.”

My door opened and he stood watching me as if in a daze, swaying slightly. Something about the way he gazed at me made the sirens blare loudly in my head. “Austin?” I asked, backing away from him.

His eyebrows furrowed as he came toward me, and the last thing I remember is his hand covering my face with a horribly smelling rag.

8

I was in Bryce’s arms and he was about to kiss me passionately, when a bump in the road jolted me from the fantasy. When I opened my eyes, the walls were spinning and it felt like someone was hammering me in the head with a tire iron.

“Oh man,” I mumbled, the pain almost unbearable. I tried to lift my hands to rub my temples but noticed they were bound together with a piece of rope.

What the heck?

As my eyes finally adjusted to the surroundings, I found myself in the back of the same cargo truck I’d helped Austin find, and we were moving very quickly.

“Austin!” I shouted, trying to ignore the throbbing pain in my skull. I called for him several times then began kicking the walls of the truck, trying desperately to get his attention. Eventually, he pulled over and came back to check on me.

“Sorry about this, Cassie,” he said softly.

I scowled. “Why am I tied up and where in the hell are you taking me?”

He cleared his throat. “I told you before; I’m going to take care of you.”

Austin’s blond hair was sticking up all crazy, his face was ashen, and his pupils were dilated. The handsome cowboy I remembered looked like he’d been dragged around by a raging bull. He was really messed up. But then, so was I.

“Austin, you really don’t look so well.”

His lips tightened into a thin line. “I’m fine.”

“Listen, my dad is going to freak out. You have got to take me home.”

He shook his head. “No, you’re safer with me. I promised your mom I’d protect you from harm. That’s all I want to do.”

“No, this isn’t what she meant! She’d never want you to take me away from my father.”

He smiled. “See, this is why you need my protection. You’re too naïve to be wandering around by yourself or making decisions about your safety.”

“That’s ridiculous! You have to take me home! Everyone’s going to wonder where in the heck I am.”

“Don’t worry,” he said. “I grabbed your phone. When your mom calls, I’ll let her know you’re safe. She can relay that message back to everyone else.”

“That’s crap, Austin!” I yelled, losing my temper completely. I was so furious I wanted to kick his ass. Screw using martial arts only for “self-defense.”

“You don’t have to get so hostile, Cassie,” he said, trying to touch my cheek. “I’m only trying to protect you. Someday, you’ll understand.”

I stiffened at his touch. “I don’t need your protection! Jesus, I could probably take …” Then it hit me; he wasn’t even aware of my martial arts skills. At least I didn’t think my mother had mentioned it.

“Rest now,” he said, standing up. He was swaying and the thought of him driving scared the crap out of me. “We have a long drive ahead of us.”

“Where are you taking me?” I asked.

The smile he gave me made my skin crawl. He licked his lips. “Somewhere safe; where we can finally be alone.”

***

I’d fallen back asleep, which was probably for the best because my head felt much better the next time I opened my eyes.

“Austin!” I yelled.

Just like last time, he ignored me until I began to kick the walls of the truck.

“Austin!” I screamed louder. My bladder was aching for release and I just knew I’d pee in my shorts after a few more bumps.

Finally, the truck stopped and Austin came back around.

“What?” he asked. He looked weary, his face even chalkier than before.

I smiled sheepishly. “I have to pee.”

His eyes narrowed. “You’re not trying to escape, are you?”

I shook my head. “No, I really have to go. It’s been quite a while since I’ve gone.”

He sighed. “Okay, but just so you know, there aren’t any bathrooms nearby. You’ll have to squat next to the road.”

“Whatever,” I said. “I really can’t wait any longer.”

He helped me down from the truck and I thought about kicking him hard and running, but my hands were still tied. I was more afraid of being attacked by a zombie than Austin, who looked pretty fragile at the moment.

The sun was shining as I took in the surroundings and my eyes began to water. I’d been locked inside of the truck for who knows how many hours and now everything seemed too bright. From what I could determine, we were somewhere on Interstate Thirty-Five. The roads were deserted and the only thing visible for miles was farmland.

“Turn around, please,” I said as he followed me to the side of the road. He was staring at me with such intensity, that it was creeping me out.

Austin shook his head. “Right, so you can just run off?”

I smiled. “Oh, Austin… I already thought of that, but I’m not stupid. If I were to run into any zombies, I’d be totally defenseless with my hands tied.”

His shrill laughter made me wonder if he was losing his mind. “You’d definitely be an easy meal,” he replied.

“Tell you what,” I said. “I’ll go behind that tree over there.” I motioned to a thick oak tree. “And come right back.”

Austin pulled the gun out from behind his back. “Okay, fair enough. You don’t mind if I point a gun toward you, just in case a zombie comes up behind you?”

I smiled, only to protect me? Yeah right. “Oh, no, not at all, Austin.”

His face suddenly went slack and it really freaked me out. He stood motionless with the gun at his side, just staring off into space.

“Austin!” I yelled, trying to get his attention. His behavior was unnerving. Although I knew he hadn’t been bitten by any zombies, he was sure beginning to act like one.

His face came back to life and he looked at me. “What?”

I raised my hands. “Um, how am I going to remove my shorts with my hands tied?”

The emotions on his face were mixed. He licked his lips. “I… I can take them off, for you.”

I threw my head back and laughed. “Do you really think my mother would be happy to hear how you removed my shorts?”

He smiled sardonically. “It could be our secret?”

The idea that he’d kidnapped me and was now flirting made me ill. I forced a smile to hide my disgust. “Now, Austin, I’m still a minor, you know.”

He snorted. “You weren’t acting like a child with Bryce earlier. In fact, you looked like you knew exactly what you were doing.”

Thoughts of Bryce made my chest tighten. There was a big possibility that I’d never see him again and it terrified me. I sighed. “Seriously, I really have to pee.”

He walked me over to the tree and pulled me closer to him. Looking into my eyes, he unzipped my shorts and pulled them down, never once looking below my face, even when he had to bend.

I cleared my throat. “Thanks.”

Smiling, he stepped away from me and turned around to give me privacy. “I’ll get you something to drink when we get back to the truck.”

“Thanks,” I said, trying to pee as quietly as I could with a grown man standing less than a few feet away. I was embarrassed and tried to hurry. When I finished, I actually managed to pull my shorts back up.

He turned around and eyed my shorts. “Do you need help buttoning those?”

Crap.

I nodded.

As he stepped closer, the look in his eyes and the way he was breathing sent chills up my spine. Instead of buttoning my shorts, he grabbed the back of my head and crushed his lips against mine.

“Austin!” I yelled, trying frantically to pull away from his hold. “What… what are you doing?”

His breath was ragged and he stared at me with such longing, it was frightening. “I’m sorry… I just…I couldn’t help myself.”

It was then that I had a light bulb moment. Trying to smile as provocatively as I could, I said, “What I mean is… why is it that you’re allowed to kiss me, when I can’t even touch you? It doesn’t seem quite fair.”

He eyed me skeptically. “Are you saying you want to touch me?”

I smiled and ran my tongue slowly over my lips. “Oh yes, definitely. If you’re going to kiss me like that, I just have to touch you, Austin,” I replied breathlessly.

He stared at me with naked hunger as he grabbed a knife from his pocket, which I hadn’t even noticed before. When he cut the ropes I felt a twinge of guilt for what I was about to do.

“Austin,” I murmured as the ropes fell to the ground and he tossed the knife aside.

He looked into my eyes and smiled eagerly. “Yes, Cassie?”

“I’m sorry,” I whispered.

Before he could respond, my foot came up and I kicked him hard in the jaw. He fell to the ground and I took off running toward the truck.

9

“Crap!” I hollered when I got into the army vehicle. The keys were gone and it was indeed a manual transmission. Even if I had the keys, I didn’t know if I’d be able to drive it.

A loud growl interrupted my thoughts and I screamed in horror as a zombie leaned into the truck and grabbed my arm.

“No!” I yelled as her broken mouth opened and she tried to bite into my flesh. I kicked her in the head and she fell backwards onto the ground.

I slammed the door and locked it as the zombie tried coming after me again. Her face was so rotted that her skin looked like string cheese and there was no flesh left on her eyelids.

Looking around frantically, I located my war hammer under the seat of the truck. I picked it up and decided it would be wise to leave on foot before Austin came back or more zombies arrived. Plus, I didn’t have the keys and it was pointless to remain in the truck, a sitting duck.

Scrambling to the passenger seat, I opened the door and jumped out. From there, my situation became worse.

“Going somewhere?” snarled Austin, stumbling toward me with a crazed look, emphasized even more so by the dark shadows under his eyes. A loud howling from the female zombie broke his concentration, and as Austin raised the gun to shoot it, I took off running toward a field of corn.

“So that’s how it’s going to be!” he hollered after his gun went off. “You’re going to be a bitch after everything I’ve sacrificed for you?”

The cornstalks weren’t quite as tall as I would have liked and I had to run hunched over. I glanced back and noticed that Austin was having a hard time moving with his injuries. As long as I stayed hidden, he probably wouldn’t even catch me.

With a new burst of confidence, I turned my head forward, ready to leave him in the dust. Instead, I tripped over something on the ground and fell, landing flat on my face.

“There’s… nowhere… to go!” huffed Austin from somewhere in the distance. “Quit… wasting time!”

I stood back up and moaned in pain, I’d twisted my ankle and it was now on fire.

“Shit,” I gasped, trying desperately to trudge forward through the stalks. All I could do was limp and pray that he’d pass out or zone out before he had the chance to catch me.

“Cassie!” he yelled, closing the gap between us, with every step he took to my two. “Stop moving. I’m not… going… to hurt you!”

Then, just like in one of the many horror flicks I’d stayed up late watching, a rickety old farmhouse came into view. It had to be well over a hundred years old, conveniently available, and more than likely, a deathtrap.

I pushed myself forward, my ankle screaming in pain the entire way. Just as I made it to the porch, Austin broke through the cornstalks, grinning madly.

“Well,” he said, bending over, his hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath. “If you… wait for me, I’ll carry you over… the threshold… darlin’.”

I moved as quickly as I could to the door and breathed a sigh of relief to find it unlocked. I went inside of the house quickly, then slammed and locked the door. As I backed away, staring at the only thing keeping Austin from me, my heart stopped. I inhaled something that was now too familiar; the undeniable stench of rotting flesh.

I whipped my body around and stood facing two obvious residents of the farm; a giant zombie in torn overalls and his horrifying bean-pole wife. They stared at me with cannibalistic glee.

“I’m sorry,” I said in a strained voice. “I should have knocked.”

I raised the war hammer just as the male staggered toward me, and caught him squarely in the skull. As I tried to dislodge my weapon, two things happened at once; the front door burst open and the female flew at me.

“Zombies!” I screamed at Austin while I attempted to kick the festering female with my tender ankle, which was more painful than anything I could have possibly imagined.

Austin snickered and fired a bullet into the zombie’s skull. “See,” he said. “That’s why you need protection. You really don’t make the wisest decisions.”

My war hammer was now free from the zombie’s skull and I held it firmly in front of me. “Austin, just leave me alone. Please.”

He looked hurt. “You’re not thinking of using that on me now, are you, darlin’? I thought we were friends.”

It was then that I noticed how infected his hand was. “What’s wrong with your hand?” I asked him.

He looked at it and shrugged. “That little zombie freak, Brooke, she scratched my hand back at the park, remember?”

“Let me see it,” I said, moving closer.

He glared at me and raised the gun. “Right, like I’m going to fall for that again.”

I released a deep sigh. “Look, I’m sorry, but you’re the one who kidnapped me and put us in this situation. You can’t expect me to be passive about it.”

Austin stared at me for a few seconds then his eyes softened. He offered me his hand and I examined the wound.

“This looks really infected,” I said. There was a lot of puss and a redness that was beginning to extend up his arm. “Does it hurt?”

He nodded. “It hurts more than my shoulder now. That reminds me, we need to get back to the truck so I can take some more Vicodin. Please, hand over your weapon before one of us gets hurt.”

I raised my chin defiantly. “I’m not letting you hold me prisoner, Austin.”

His mouth curled up into an angry scowl and he took a step closer to me. “You’re mine and I’m not letting you go,” he growled.

I knew he was crushing on me a little heavily, but the way he said that was enough to send anyone over the edge. I took a step back. “Austin…”

Before I could finish my sentence, his face went slack and he toppled to the ground, unconscious.

10

I hesitated about getting any closer to Austin, even though he appeared to be passed out, but I really wanted his gun. As I leaned over him to pick it up, he grabbed me and pulled me to the ground.

“Looking for something?” he sneered, taking the war hammer from my grasp and tossing it aside.

“Let me go!” I demanded as I struggled to free myself. He was incredibly strong, even with his injuries. Before I knew it, he was on top of me, pinning me firmly to the ground.

He smiled nastily. “Now, let's see how Wild you really are.”

As he tried to capture my lips with his, I turned my face away and attempted to knee him between the legs, but his heavy weight made it difficult. “Please, Austin, don't do this!” I pleaded, my heart pounding madly in my chest.

“Not so courageous now, are you?” he whispered. His eyes burned into mine, shocking me into silence. Ruptured red capillaries lined the whites of his eyes and the skin on his forehead was beginning to get that same mottled look I'd seen on the zombies.

Either he’s turning into a zombie or one of us is completely losing their mind, I thought. Tears of frustration burned my eyes as I struggled to get away from him.

“You're all mine now,” he growled. Then his mouth found my neck and he kissed me roughly, even grazing the tender skin with his teeth. When something warm began sliding down my neck and he moaned with pleasure, I shuddered in horror as I realized he was reveling in the taste of my blood.

Then, miraculously, he rolled off of me.

I sat up and watched, paralyzed in horror as Austin had some type of major seizure.

“Help me,” he gurgled as his head thrashed around and white foam bubbled out of his cracked lips.

His entire body shook and I was stunned into silence. As my shock wore off, I scrambled to my feet, grabbing both the gun and war hammer. I backed away from him, not knowing exactly what to do. My feelings were so jumbled, part of me wanted to help, but the other wanted to get as far away from him as I could. When he finally stopped convulsing on the floor, he turned to me and my pulse roared in my ears. The look in his bloodshot eyes was of a predator ready to pounce. I knew instinctively that he wanted to devour me in a totally different sense than before. As I raised the war hammer to end it before he went all zombie on me, he snapped out of it and looked at me in horror.

“What the hell are you doing, Wild?” he asked, sharply.

I backed away from him, holding my weapon up. “You're... changing, Austin,” I said. “A moment ago you were ready to kill me. I saw it in your eyes.”

He looked at me like I was crazy and shook his head. “Jesus, I'd never kill you, Cassie. I admit that I blacked out a second ago, but that doesn't make me a killer.”

I let out a shaky breath and then motioned toward the door. “Austin, I'm leaving now; alone. Don't come after me or you'll give me no choice; I’ll…hurt you.”

He sighed. “Look, I'm sorry I lost control earlier. It was completely uncalled for and I promise it won't happen again.”

I snorted. “Lost control? That's putting it mildly.”

He nodded and rubbed his forehead. “I know... it was pretty bad. I don't know what came over me.”

“It doesn't matter, I'm not going anywhere with you,” I said, raising the gun. “Now, move out of the way.”

He stared at me for a minute then stepped away from the door. “So, you're just going to leave me in the middle of nowhere without a vehicle or a weapon to protect myself?”

“Check the garage outside, there's probably a tractor and an old shovel.”

He smirked. “Very funny, Wild, but I reckon you're not going to get far without these,” he said, holding up the truck keys.

Damn, I'd forgotten about the keys.

“Give them to me,” I demanded.

He chuckled. “I... I don't think so,”

I held out my hand. “Cut the crap, Austin, give me the damn keys!”

He sighed then held them out toward me without moving any closer.

As I stepped cautiously forward to take them, my cell phone began to ring; the one in his pocket.

“Aw, shucks, what do you know? Let me get that,” he said with a smug smile. He took out the cell phone and from the look on his face, it wasn't my mom.

“Give the phone to me, Austin,” I commanded.

He ignored me. “Howdy, Bryce! No, asshole, she's fine,” he said then grinned wickedly. “She tastes pretty fine, too.”

I raised the gun and pointed it at his skull. “Give me the phone, now, or I will pull the trigger.”

Austin stared at me, his eyes cold and calculating. “Sorry,” he said into the phone. “Although I'd love to sit and listen to all of these new nicknames you’ve come up for me, I have much more important things to do.”

He tossed the phone to the ground, a couple feet away from where I was standing. As I scrambled to get to it, he launched himself at me, knocking the gun from my hands and me to the ground.

Before I could recover from the attack, he hit me in the head with something hard and I blacked out.

11

I woke up sometime later in a musty bedroom with a splitting headache. Surprisingly, I was alone and my hands were free. I tried to swallow. My throat was so dry and scratchy, it had been hours since I’d had anything to drink or eat.

What I wouldn’t do for even a sip of pickle juice right now, I thought. Well, anything except allowing Austin to grope me.

I sat up and the springs of the mattress groaned under my weight.

Great, I thought, with all this noise, he’ll be in here any minute.

I slowly swung my feet to the ground and stood up. The pain shooting from my ankle was so intense, it made me dizzy. I knew that I had to suck it up, however, and do whatever I could to escape.

Hobbling to the door, I turned the handle and tried pushing it open but something heavy was blocking it from the other side. Frustrated, I scanned the room to find something I could use against Austin. There really wasn't much of anything, though; just the lumpy full-sized bed I'd woken up on, an old black and white television, and a distressed pine dresser with a matching nightstand, which both were void of anything useful.

I thought about the window and limped over to it. It seemed like a hell of a long way down, but I was desperate. I’d just gotten manhandled by a madman, and the next time he had his hands on me, it might prove to be much worse.

Hearing sudden shuffling noises on the other side of the door, I hopped quickly back into the bed and closed my eyes, just as the door opened.

“Cassie?” whispered Austin.

I pretended to breathe evenly as he moved closer to the bed. He put something down on the nightstand next to me and then sat down on the mattress.

“Sorry,” he whispered, putting a cool rag on my forehead. “Damn, I didn't want to hurt you, but you gave me no choice.”

He caressed my cheek gently and then ran a calloused finger down my neck, stopping just above the v-neckline of my black shirt. I forced my breathing to remain steady, although, I was completely unhinged by his actions at that point.

“You're so beautiful,” he said in a husky voice.

His touch made my skin crawl. Resisting the urge to bash in his skull, and not really understanding why I hadn't already, I remained as still as possible.

Just then my cell phone began to ring again and Austin got up off the bed. He answered it and walked away.

“Yes, she's fine... she's sleeping right now,” he murmured into the phone. “What? No, I can't do that, Kris. It's just too dangerous. There are zombies everywhere.”

I listened to him as he explained that my dad was still missing and we were holding up fine at the house. Hearing his lies infuriated me. I ignored the pain, jumped out of bed, and managed to snatch the phone from his grasp.

“Mom… dad's alive and Austin's… kidnapped me!” I shouted into the phone.

His already pissed off face turned scarlet and he rushed me, slamming me to the ground. I howled in pain as we wrestled for the phone. With my head throbbing and my ankle on fire, I was simply no match for him, though, even with his injuries. He quickly took possession of the phone and stood up.

“Mom!” I yelled, trying to stand back up myself. I was frustrated and in so much pain, that I began to cry.

Austin stepped away, aimed the gun at me, and pretended to fire it as a warning.

“Kris, she's fine,” he said calmly, opening the bedroom door. With one last fleeting glance toward me, he smiled smugly. “She's just very angry with me right now because I won't let her out of the house to search for her dad. It’s for her own good, of course. Listen, I have to go. No, you can talk to her later.” He then closed the door behind him and slid the heavy object back, trapping me once more.

Asshole, I thought. I'm getting out of here whether he likes it or not.

I stood and limped over to the window. It certainly was a long way down, but I was nobody’s prisoner. I removed the window screen and somehow managed to pull myself onto the roof. Then, just when I thought I was in the clear, my ankle exploded in pain while swinging my legs around.

“Oh, God!” I screamed silently. Blood rushed to my head and I was weak with dizziness. I closed my eyes and took a small breaths, waiting for the pain to ease just enough for it to be bearable. When the pain became somewhat manageable, I breathed in deeply and crawled down the side, eventually sliding down to the very edge of the roof. Then I dropped as quietly as I could onto the porch railing and found myself reeling from another wave of intense pain.

“Leaving so soon?” snickered Austin, who was leaning against the screen door. “Sorry to foil your plans for escape, but seriously, you made enough noise to attract any zombie within miles. Almost like ringing their dinner bell, I reckon. You know, I'd be very careful out there if I were you. You never know what kind of dangerous things you might encounter.”

Trying not to give in to my growing hysteria, I limped frantically away from him, hoping beyond hope for some kind of miracle.

The screen door slammed as he began to follow me. “Hey, where are you planning on going?” he yelled. “You're injured and you don't have any weapons. You're easy prey, Wild.”

I stopped at the edge of the cornfield and turned around to face him. “I'd rather have a fighting chance against the zombies or whatever wild animals I might encounter than be your prisoner, Austin.”

He walked toward me and shook his head. “Why can't you get it through your thick skull that I'm trying to protect you?”

My jaw dropped. “Since when is taking me away from my family, putting your hands all over me, and keeping me locked away considered protection?”

His mouth contorted grotesquely. “Damn it, girl!” he shouted. “You need me! I'm you're only hope for surviving in this shit!”

I gritted my teeth. “The only thing you are, Austin, is delusional.”

His eyes looked like they were going to pop out of his skull he was in such a rage. He stormed toward me and I backed away, this time thinking that maybe I’d went too far.

“No, please!” I cried, desperately trying to escape.

Then, amazingly enough, my much needed miracle happened; another seizure caught him off guard and he fell over. I watched in awe as his body writhed helplessly on the ground with each fierce spasm.

“Austin?” I whispered, hoarsely.

He didn’t answer me and I didn't hesitate any longer. I moved toward him as quickly as possible while he continued to thrash around on the grass. My hands shook almost as violently as he did while I struggled to get what I needed; first the keys, then the cell phone, and finally, the gun. I stood up and aimed it at Austin's head, desperate to be rid of him for good. But, standing over him, I just couldn't bring myself to do it; although his feelings for me were twisted and he was probably insane, I didn't have it in me to kill someone still breathing.

“For the last time,” I said, backing away from him. “If you can understand me at all, don't even think about following me.”

Then I turned and limped as quickly as possible toward the spot we'd left the truck.

***

Amazingly I made it back to the vehicle without Austin or any zombies interfering in my escape. Saying a silent thank you to my guardian angel, I climbed into the truck and locked the door.

Leave and then call Bryce, I thought.

I looked at the manual shift and frowned; damn stick shifts. I hadn't had any experience using a clutch except for the time I drove a friend home from a party who'd been drinking. Luckily, she'd been lucid enough to explain the basic concept of how to drive a stick, but it had been over six months ago and that time hadn't been a picnic, either.

“Come on, bitch,” I mumbled, trying to get it into gear and moving successfully without having it stall on me.

After a few more attempts, I managed to get the truck moving smoothly and into the correct gear. When I finally made it to forty miles an hour in fifth gear without problems, I sighed with relief. I was finally moving.

12

“Bryce,” I cried, breathlessly, into my cell phone.

“Oh, thank God. Are you okay?” he asked.

I sighed. “Well, I have a headache and a sprained ankle. Other than that, I’m doing fine.”

My dad got on the phone. “Cassie, where are you, honey?”

Hearing my dad’s voice, I had to blink back fresh tears. “To be honest, I really don’t know. I’m driving somewhere south on Interstate Thirty-Five. There’s a lot of fields and farmland. I was too busy trying to get away from Austin to really find out.”

“He’s a dead man,” he growled.

“Actually, that’s closer to the truth than you could possibly imagine,” I said. It was obvious that he was having some kind of reaction to Brooke’s scratch.

“Good, it will save me the trouble. Where is he now?”

“I left him back at this old farmhouse. He was having some kind of weird seizure, so I took off.”

He sighed. “Did he… hurt you?”

I didn’t want to worry my dad any more than he already was. “Not really. Look, I’m going to keep driving until I figure out where the heck I am. I don’t have any kind of charger and don’t want to run my cell battery down again, so I’ll call you back.”

“Good idea.”

“Dad, mom called my phone earlier. Austin lied to her though; she has no idea what’s going on.”

“Get me that phone number so I can call her.”

“I’ll look on the incoming call log and text it to you.”

“I love you, honey. Call us back as soon as you can. We’ll come get you.”

I nodded. “Okay, I love you, too, dad.”

He hung up before I could ask to speak to Bryce; I so wanted to hear the sound of his voice again. I would have to wait until I saw him, next.

Thank goodness, I’d escaped.

It was just after four o’clock in the afternoon, according to my cell phone. My stomach was growling, my mouth so dry I would have pulled over to drink from a pond if I’d found one. But there was nothing, just trees, farmland, and an endless road.

I took out my cell phone and scrolled down the call list to get a phone number for my mom. Now, I know that driving and texting is a dangerous combination and I don’t usually do things that reckless, but my head was still pretty fuzzy. As I tried to steer the truck and text my mom’s phone number to my dad, I slammed into the back of an old Cadillac that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere.

“Shit!” I shrieked, watching as the car began to fishtail back and forth. The driver, a very elderly man wearing a cowboy hat, gained control of it. Then he laid on the horn, stuck his hand out the window, and flipped me the bird.

I was both embarrassed and relieved to have found another living person on the road. I followed behind him at a safe distance for another mile and then he motioned for me to pull over to the side of the road. As I pulled up behind him, he got out of his car and shuffled toward me, cussing the entire way. He was tall, very thin, and dressed sort of like the Marlboro Man.

Great, I thought, another cowboy.

His fists were clenched and the look on his face was anything but friendly. When he stopped outside my driver’s window, he snorted and shook his head.

“Well, now this makes sense,” he barked. “Teenaged girls shouldn’t be allowed on the road. None of them can drive worth squat.”

My jaw dropped. “That’s not fair. Look, I’m sorry for hitting you, it was an accident. But you don’t have to get all huffy about it.”

The cranky old man raised his hand, making a yapping motion with his fingers. “Are you still talking? Listen, that’s the problem with young people these days. I’ll bet you were even on your phone when you hit me. Come on, tell me I’m wrong?”

I wasn’t about to admit he was right, so I just stared at him defiantly.

His eyes narrowed as he pulled out a small container of chewing tobacco from his pocket. “You know, you could have killed me and my girlfriend. You’re just lucky she’s such a heavy sleeper. She’d have kicked your butt from here to Hong Kong.”

Just then, a woman got out of his car and walked over. The look on her face was both troubled and apologetic. She stared at the old man’s face and sighed. “Henry, you’re not giving this young girl a hard time, are you?”

Henry’s entire demeanor changed. He went from a total crab ass to some kind of Casanova.

“Hey there, beautiful,” he said tenderly. “Go back to the car and rest. I can handle this.”

“Hi, I’m Mary,” she said, holding her hand out to me. She looked a couple decades younger than Henry and reminded me of the Southern lady with the cooking show, Paula Deen. “I’m sorry for any trouble this old fart has caused you. I know he can be a little… ornery.”

“Actually, it’s my fault. I rear-ended you,” I admitted, although grateful for Mary’s kindness.

He spit out a brown wad of chewing tobacco and scowled. “You’re darn tootin’ it was your fault. You and your parents are going to pay for these damages, too. Get them on the horn and tell them I prefer cash; large bills.”

“Henry,” sighed Mary. “This isn’t even your car.” She looked at me again. “We took it from the parking lot of the retirement home I worked for. Henry here was one of the tenants.”

I bit back a smile. “Oh, he said you were his girlfriend.”

Mary threw her head back and roared with laughter. “Oh, lord! He tells everyone that. I tell you what, this old man’s so frisky, he makes Hugh Hefner seem under-sexed.”

Henry tilted his cowboy hat and grinned adoringly at Mary. “I’m eighty-nine with the libido of a twenty-five-year-old. Come on, Mary… live on the edge for once.”

She let out a ragged sigh and shook her head. “Those darn free samples of Viagra. Some salesperson dropped off a bunch during Bingo last week and Henry got his hands on some. Now he won’t keep his mitts to himself.”

He took out his chew tin again and started pinching more of the brown stuff between his gnarled old fingers. Before he placed it in his mouth, he smiled wickedly and said, “Good times are coming your way, Mary. You ever hear that expression ‘save a horse, ride a cowboy’? I haven’t put my horses out to pasture yet, and by golly, I am one mean steed.”

“Okay,” I said, raising my own hands; this whole conversation was making me queasy. “This is interesting and all, but if everyone’s okay, I really should be going.”

Mary looked at me and frowned. “Are you okay, dear? You’re looking a little pale.”

I was indeed getting very lightheaded. “Actually, I’m not feeling so good.”

The last thing I remember before the darkness set in was the sound of Henry, groaning in dismay.

13

I woke up in the back of their Cadillac, listening to Johnny Cash. The air conditioner was on and the leather felt cool against my warm cheek. Trying to ignore the urge to puke, I slowly sat up.

“Oh good, she’s awake,” said Mary, smiling brightly at me from the front seat.

“Water, please?” I croaked. My throat was so dry it hurt to swallow.

“Of course, you poor dear,” she replied. She bent down in front of her legs and came back with a large bottle of water.

“Thanks,” I whispered gratefully. The cool water soothed my dehydrated throat and I couldn’t stop drinking the bottle until it was completely gone.

“I hope you don’t mind,” said Mary. “We had to take you with us on account of some zombies that were heading our way right when you were passing out. Don’t worry, though, we grabbed your gun and cell phone. There didn’t appear to be much more than that.”

Henry muttered, “No, mustn’t forget the girl’s cell phone.”

I ignored his sarcasm and thanked both of them instead. “Where are we going?” I asked as Mary handed me the phone and Ruger.

“We’re heading toward Nashville,” said Henry. “Meeting my grandson, Tiny, out there.”

Tiny?

“Well, where are we now?” I asked, looking out the window. The roads were all identical, nothing but farmland in the distance.

Henry pulled out an unlit cigar from his mouth, one he’d apparently been chewing on. “We’ve just passed through Canton and are heading south on Interstate Seventy-Four. We should be in Nashville in… oh… roughly eight hours. If we don’t run into any more trouble or crazy-assed drivers,” he answered with the hint of a smile.

“Honey, is there somewhere we can drop you off? I mean, you’re certainly welcome to stay with us,” said Mary. She bit the side of her lip. “That is… if you don’t have anyone left.”

“My dad and some close friends are heading toward Atlanta,” I said. “I suppose they can just meet us in Nashville; if you don’t mind me tagging along that far.”

Henry opened his mouth to say something but Mary cut him off. “Listen, we’d love your company. What’s your name, honey?”

“Cassandra Wild,” I said. “You can just call me Cassie.”

Henry snorted. “Wild, huh? Well if that just ain’t another sign from God to stay off the damn road.”

“Now, Henry,” murmured Mary. “Don’t be such a fuddy-duddy.”

My stomach growled. “You… you wouldn’t happen to have anything to eat?” I asked. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had food.

“Actually,” said Mary. “We were on our way to find something to eat ourselves. We didn’t exactly have time to prepare for a road trip.”

“There’s a diner coming up soon. Might be some food there,” said Henry.

Mary snorted. “Or we might be the food.”

I sat back and called my dad to let him know what was happening. He agreed to meet up in Nashville; they were also, finally, on the road.

“You talk to mom?” I asked.

He released a ragged breath. “I did. She said your sister’s in some kind of coma. Allie woke up once and was acting very erratic, so they had to subdue her by putting her to sleep. Now she’s in a coma again and hasn’t woken up.”

“Oh, poor Allie,” I whispered. “Is there anything they can do for her?”

“Well, I guess there is some kind of experimental drug, but the scientist who was working on it is missing. They aren’t sure if he’s alive or what the hell is going on.”

“Did he get the vaccine?”

“No, he didn’t. In fact, he was against the vaccine from the very beginning. That’s why he initially began experimenting with some of the components in the drug, to find something that might counteract any negative effects the vaccine created.”

“Great, and now he’s missing?”

“Yes. They’re searching for him, though. He has an underground bomb shelter located somewhere in Atlanta, but he was always secretive about its location. The good news is that he was still alive when the zombies started waking up. Unfortunately, nobody’s heard from him since.”

“God, I hope he’s still alive and they can locate him.”

“Me too, and we aren’t the only ones. I guess the facility where the CDC is located is getting bombarded with survivors and their family members, needing help.”

“I’m sure they’ll figure something out soon.”

“Hope so.”

“Dad… can I call mom?”

I just wanted to hear the sound of her voice, to know she was really alive and not just a voice in my dreams.

“Sorry, honey, maybe later. The cell phone she’s been using is being shared by a number of people, so calls are limited. Your mom told me to tell you she loves you very much and to stay safe. Don’t take any risky chances. She wants both of you girls alive,” his voice cracked. “So do I.”

“I’ll do the best I can,” I answered.

Dad cleared his throat. “Call me when you get to Nashville and we’ll meet you somewhere safe. Also, thank that couple for me, too. I owe them, big time.”

“Okay,” I said. “Dad, can I talk to Bryce really quickly?”

He paused. “Well, he’s driving the other vehicle right now. He gave me his cell phone to use, just in case you called.”

“Oh, okay. Um, who’s driving with him in the van?” I asked, biting the side of my lip. I know it was petty, but the thought of Eva being anywhere near Bryce still irritated me.

“Let’s see… Eva, Paige, Kylie, and Kristie,” he answered then snorted. “I think there’s a romance brewing in the mist.”

My stomach clenched up. “What… what do you mean?”

“Well, Eva and Bryce; she follows him around like a puppy dog, and if I didn’t know it any better, he’s eating up all the adoration. Every time I turn around she has her hands on him and they’re laughing.”

I closed my eyes and tried not to throw up all over Henry’s backseat.

***

We sat in silence as we drove the next several miles to find some kind of edible food. Eventually, we came to a truck-stop diner called “Gramma’s Grub.”  Although there were a few cars in the parking lot, it looked pretty uninhabited.

“This place use to serve the best steak and eggs,” sighed Henry as he shut off the ignition. “It’s surely a shame that I’ll probably never get to enjoy another meal here or tease one of those purdy little waitresses. Yessiree, the owner sure knew how to keep his customers happy.”

Mary’s eyebrows raised and she punched him playfully on the arm. “Purdy waitresses, huh? I thought you were saving yourself for me, Old Timer.”

He turned to her with such a startled look, that I thought he may have filled his Depends. When he eventually composed himself, he let out a deep, raspy chuckle. “Mary,” he said, clearing his throat. “I just love it when you talk dirty, my little puddin’.”

Mary laughed heartily and patted him on the back. “Hen, you better stop. You’re going to make me pee my pants and I don’t have any spares!”

He rubbed his jaw and smirked. “Speaking of getting out of your pants…”

I interrupted him before he could finish. The banter between them was making me a little ill. “Hey, I have a great idea. Let’s go inside that restaurant and see if there’s any food left.”

“Now that sounds like a good idea,” replied Mary.

“Let’s go, ladies,” said Henry as he opened his door.

We all got out with our weapons raised. I still had the Ruger with a few bullets left, Henry had an old Winchester shotgun, and Mary took out some type of Samurai sword. I chuckled as she removed it carefully from the scabbard and raised it, ready for battle.

“Where’d you get that katana, Mary?” I asked.

She winked. “From this wonderful garage sale last summer. It’s a beaut, isn’t it?”

I nodded. “Yes, very impressive. Have you used it on any zombies?”

Mary nodded proudly. “Oh yeah, thing’s so sharp, it’s like cutting through butter.”

“You better at shootin’ than you are at driving, young lady?” asked Henry, eyeing my gun.

I nodded. “Probably. I do miss my war hammer, though. It came in handy when I ran out of ammunition.”

He nodded. “War hammer, huh? I’ve seen those things before. Yes, they would certainly do the trick and right nicely, I reckon.”

The smell in the diner was a mixture of spoiled food, feces, and death. I raised the gun and looked around nervously.

“Mary, get down on your knees!” shouted Henry, raising his own gun.

She gave him a disgusted look. “You just won’t quit. I told you before, I don’t…”

Henry’s gun went off a second after I pulled her to the floor. There was a loud thud as the zombie’s body dropped. Mary let out a low moan and her entire body began to tremble.

“It’s okay,” I whispered, squeezing her shoulder.

Henry cackled loudly and spit out his chew.  “Gotcha… you son-of-a-bitch.”

I stood up and limped over to the zombie who was now resting in peace on the other side of the room; a naked bald man with a swastika tattoo on his chest. His body was so rotted and gnarly that I had turn away before I added to the disgusting sight.

Henry came over and stood next to me, staring at his kill. “You know, I always said that a good Nazi was a dead Nazi,” he said as he scratched his whiskers, “but even that’s fucked up now.”

“Henry!” screamed Mary.

We both turned to find two ghastly zombies stumbling toward her, growling and smiling with wicked intentions. It always amazed me that they could somehow feel happiness, but not one speck of remorse for such gruesome eating habits.

“Hold on, Mary!” hollered Henry.

“Behind you, Henry!” I screamed as another zombie stepped out of the shadows behind him.

He turned around and paled at the horrific sight. The ghoul was dressed in a tattered and bloodied waitress uniform. Her face was so rotted and grisly, that the skin around her mouth was all but gone. Patches of red hair were missing from her putrid, decomposing head.

“Jesus, who hired this homely one?” he mumbled, cocking his gun.

Her skeleton mouth curled into an evil grin that I knew would haunt my dreams for months to come, if I ever survived that long. I turned away as he fired his gun at the dead waitress and limped toward the other two zombies. My gun was raised but I was fearful of hitting Mary.

“Lord, have mercy!” Mary moaned as she slid the katana into the stomach of one of the zombies. Although it was still alive, the sword prevented it from getting any closer to her as she held the zombie at bay.

As the second one tried to reach out for her, I raised my good foot and hit him with a sidekick to the face, sending him crashing to the floor.

“OW… OW… OW…!” I howled in agony. I really needed to ice my ankle badly.

The zombie’s red eyes burned with something close to hatred as he growled angrily at me.

“Drop dead, maggot,” I said, glaring back at him. Then I raised my gun and shot him in the face.

“Stand back, Mary,” demanded Henry as he raised his shotgun again. She let go of the sword and the skewered zombie took a bullet right between the eyes.

“Are you ladies all right?” asked Henry as he shuffled toward us.

“I’m fine,” I said.

“Oh, I’m okay, too,” said Mary. “Just a little disappointed with the service.”

Henry laughed and then hugged her tightly.

“You rocked with that sword, Mary,” I said, and she smiled.

Henry shuffled over to me and touched my shoulder. “Well, I have to admit… you handled yourself pretty good there, too, Cassie.”

I smiled. “Thanks.”

With a gleam in his watery blue eyes he said, “What you did with your leg… that was impressive! Could you teach Mary to get her leg up that high?”

Mary and I looked at each other and started laughing.

14

Fortunately, we didn’t run into any more zombies, probably because food was slim pickings for everyone, living or dead.

“You find anything?” asked Henry, who was resting in one of the old vinyl booths. He was an old geezer with a lot of fire, but even he wasn’t immune to arthritis, which I guess was now flaring up in both of his knobby knees.

“Unfortunately, everything is spoiled in the cooler. Good news, however, there is plenty of canned food,” said Mary.

“I found several bags of chips and pretzels, too,” I called out from behind the counter. “Oh, and some bottled water.”

He nodded, looking weary. “Let’s stock up on that stuff and get rolling. Mary, you might have to drive; it’s going to be dark soon and my eyes don’t particularly work their best at night.”

Mary raised her eyebrows and looked at me. “He never wants me to drive,” she mumbled. "He’s very narrow-minded when it comes to women and controlling things that move.”

“Oh, you mean he’s chauvinistic?” I said.

“I heard that, kid,” said Henry as he shuffled toward the bathroom. “I’m old, not deaf.”

“Do you want one of us to come in there with you, Henry?” asked Mary.

“Not unless you want to watch me drop some kids off at the pool.”

“Oh, for goodness sake,” said Mary. “Just be careful in there.”

“Woman, I’ve taken a dump alone for more years than I can count. When I can no longer do it all by myself, do me a favor – take me out back and shoot me once in the head and a second time in the ass.”

“You heard the man,” I said, grinning. “Leave him to poop in peace.”

“Don’t have to ask me twice,” she murmured.

“I love old diners,” I said, looking at the display case still filled pies and cookies. Unfortunately, they were all spoiled and rotten, adding to the ripe fragrance of the diner.

Mary smiled sadly. “My son used to manage a diner, much like this one.”

“Oh?” I answered. I was afraid to ask her what happened to him.

She nodded. “Well, actually it was a nightclub and there were dancers there that used to take off their clothes,” she said. “But other than that, this reminds me a lot of that place.”

I raised my eyebrows and scanned the room. This place looked as wholesome and clean as any diner could possibly get. I had a hard time believing it could be compared to a seedy strip joint. Of course, I’d never actually been in one of those, either.

“Really?”

“Yeah,” said Mary. “Ben was a very good businessman and entrepreneur. He was in the process of starting a dating service when he disappeared.”

“He disappeared? I’m sorry, Mary. That must have been horrible for you.”

She nodded. “Well, he actually left the country for a bit. He told me that the cops were trying to frame him for being part of some type of prostitution ring. But I know Ben, and he’d never get involved in something like that.”

“When was the last time you spoke to him?” I asked.

“Oh… about a year ago. He was in Amsterdam and needed to borrow some money to send some girls to America.”

“Wow, well I hope he survived in this zombie mess.”

She nodded. “Yes, I say a prayer for him every night.”

Just then, Henry came out of the bathroom. “Jesus, it smells like something died in there.”

“You didn’t happen to find any zombies in the bathroom?” I asked.

He smiled sheepishly. “No, but I left them a present in there that will confuse the hell out of them.”

I didn’t want to ask Henry what he meant, so I ignored his comment and searched for boxes to load the food we’d found. Luckily, we found milk crates and they worked perfectly.

“I think this will do,” said Mary when we packed the third milk crate. “Let’s load them into the car.”

“Sounds good. I grabbed toilet paper, too,” said Henry, holding up a couple rolls.

As we were loading everything into the Cadillac, a large Greyhound bus pulled into the parking lot, shocking all three of us.

“Well, would you look at that?” smiled Mary.

The doors opened up and three men stepped out, all dressed in drag.

“Oh, thank God,” gushed a tall blond, wearing a stunning blue evening gown and sparkly high heels. The resemblance to Christina Aguilera was so uncanny that if it weren’t for the Adam’s apple and husky voice, I would have asked for an autograph. “Real, living people! Come here so I can give you a hug!” he said as his heels clicked loudly on the asphalt. He threw his arms around me and I could smell a light fruity scent of perfume that actually reminded me of my mom.

“Hi,” I said, smiling. “Wow, you smell nice.”

He put a hand on his hip and smiled. “Thanks, gorgeous. I’m Billie, by the way, what’s your name?”

I blushed. “I’m Cassie, and that’s Mary and Henry.”

The two other guys introduced themselves as Shane, who looked like Beyoncé, and Dale, who was the spitting image of Cher.

Henry smiled and laid on the Southern charm.  “My… my… my… I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more beautiful group of women in all my years. I believe I may have died and gone to heaven.”

Billie sashayed over and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Well, aren’t you just the sweetest ol’ cowboy I ever did see? I could just gobble you up, you’re so darn cute!”

Henry’s eyes opened wide and he licked his cracked lips.

“Excuse me for a minute,” he said pleasantly to Billie. He then pulled Mary to the side, although everyone could still hear his words clear as day.

“Mary,” he pleaded, smiling from ear to ear. “For the love of God, woman, find me those pills you took from me. I think an old man’s last dying wish has been granted. I just might get lucky.”

Mary sighed wearily. “You’re not dying, and for heaven’s sake, old man, go sit down someplace before you actually do have a stroke.”

“Fine, I’ll do it myself,” muttered Henry under his breath as he began shuffling toward the car. He popped open the trunk and began searching for the pills she’d apparently hidden. I could tell he was getting frustrated by the colorful words he was using.

“Oh, for the love of God… someone please give that poor old man a break,” said Shane. “Help him find his pills before he keels over.”

Mary shook her head and chuckled. “Believe me; the pills he’s looking for need to stay hidden. There’s nothing more unsettling than seeing Henry walk around with a tent in his pants.”

There was a stunned silence and then we all burst out laughing.

“Oh, man,” said Billie, fanning himself. “I haven’t laughed that hard since before this nightmare began. I really needed that.”

“Where are you from?” asked Mary, wiping the tears from her eyes.

“Well, we are originally from Vegas but have been traveling the country, performing our drag show,” said Billie. “We were just leaving one in Minneapolis when the zombies cut the tour short.”

Mary sighed. “They really made a mess of everything, that’s for sure.”

“Where are you from?” asked Billie.

“Henry and I are from Wisconsin. We picked up Cassie earlier today, and now we’re all going to Nashville to meet up with family.”

“Well, we’re heading to Florida to check on our folks,” said Billie. “Well, I am. Shane and Dale had nothing else better to do.”

“Tell you the truth, we were just getting ready to leave,” said Mary. “And just so you know, there’s more food inside the diner if you need any. We didn’t take everything.”

Shane pointed to the Cadillac. “You’re leaving in that little car? It can’t be very safe with those things running around.”

“It’s all we have,” said Mary.

“Listen, we’ll be passing right through Nashville and you’re welcome to ride with us,” said Billie. “The bus is fairly comfortable and there’s plenty of room for everyone. Even has a decent bathroom.”

I smiled at that. “Hey, I’m game. I’d always wanted a ride in one of those Greyhound buses anyway.”

“That settles it then, we’re with you guys,” replied Mary. She then touched Billie’s arm and lowered her voice. “Tell you the truth, hon, old Henry makes me nervous when he drives. And boy does he throw a fit when I volunteer to take the wheel.”

We all glanced at Henry, who was walking back toward us looking frustrated. “Well, you may as well be happy, Mary, I still can’t find those darn pills.”

She cleared her throat. “Say, Henry? These lovely people have offered to share their cushy bus with us. They’re heading our way and can drop us off in Nashville,” said Mary.

“Yeah,” I said. “The bus is much more protective   against zombie attacks and there’s even a toilet.”

A thoughtful look spread across Henry’s face and he scratched his whiskers. “Well, tell you the truth… I don’t believe in chance, never have and never will. There’s a reason we’ve all been thrown together, and I reckon it has something to do with God’s plan in these dark times. Either that,” he cackled, “or I’m just one lucky son-of-a-bitch. Tell me, any of you ever watch that show, ‘Sister Wives’?

15

After we loaded our supplies onto the bus, we settled in and began eating some of the food we’d taken from the diner.

“This is comfy,” agreed Mary as she plopped down next to me. The leather seats were indeed cushy and there was plenty of room to relax.

“Yes, this is very nice,” I agreed, stuffing a dill pickle potato chip in my mouth.

“Well, we have enough gas to get us to the next couple of towns,” said Billie from the front of the bus. He’d taken off his high heels and was now studying a road map while rubbing his feet. “So keep your eyes open for a service station.”

“You sure you know how to drive this rig, purdy little lady?” asked Henry, who was sitting in the seat directly in front of me.

Billie smiled and lifted his blond wig, “Yes, Henry,” he replied in a much voice deeper than he’d used before. “And, I’m probably almost as good at driving a stick as you are.”

The look on Henry’s face was a mixture of disbelief, anger, and humiliation. “What…? Are you… a man?”

Billie nodded.

Henry pointed. “And, uh, those aren’t real hooters?”

Billie’s face turned crimson and he shook his head. He then tossed out the padding he’d stuffed in his bra.

“Are you… gay?” Henry asked incredulously.

“Now that’s really none of your business,” replied Dale from the back of the bus. “Don’t answer that, Billie.”

Mary got up quickly to try and calm Henry, whose face was turning beet red. She sat down next to him and took his hand in hers. “Henry, they are all entertainers. Now, come on,” she said with a teasing smile, “I know you already figured it out and are just messing with us.”

Henry sat silently for a minute, collecting his thoughts and regaining his composure.

“Henry? You okay?” asked Billie, who looked very uncomfortable now himself.

Thankful that he had a chance to save face, Henry slowly raised his tired old bones, smiled, and took a deep bow. “You’re dang tootin’ I already knew it. You boys aren’t the only ones who can act. Shucks,” he said, smiling at Mary. “I know a real woman when I see one. Mary, you had to have known I was only trying to make you jealous.”

Mary smiled and patted his hand. “And I appreciate that, old timer.”

The rest of us smiled in relief as Henry laid his head back, and after a short time later, began to snore.

***

We’d been driving for a few hours, and eventually I got sick of feeling sorry for myself. I’d been thinking about Bryce and Eva, stuffing my face with chips, and plotting my revenge on the red-haired skank. I needed an attitude adjustment before I completely cracked. So, I moved to the front of the bus to talk to Billie.

“Seen any more zombies lately?” I asked, sitting behind him.

He smiled and shook his head. “No, strangely enough. I’m sure they’ve been migrating to areas where there’s more food. Like the larger cities.”

We’d passed through several towns on our route to Nashville and the giant bus had done a great job of protecting us from the swarms of dead zombies we’d encountered along the way. Billie had stayed calm and had maneuvered through several abandoned cars with ease. Then, later, when we’d found ourselves surrounded by some volatile zombie crowds, I was impressed how he ran over them without even flinching.

“We have to get our hands on more guns,” I said. “I still can’t believe you made it this far with just the bus and no real weapons.”

“Who said I didn’t have a weapon?” smiled Billie. He then pointed behind his seat and I saw a couple of golf clubs. “Started out with an entire set when we left Minneapolis; just didn’t have the stomach to clean the ones I’d already used.”

I picked up one of the clubs, a putter, and admired the purple grip. “Nice. I still think you should have a gun as backup, though. Have you had any experience using one?” I asked.

He shook his head. “No. Honestly, never even thought about guns before this mess. But I did take fencing lessons growing up.”

“The next time I happen upon a sabre, I’ll save it for you,” I smiled.

He chuckled. “What’s going on with you and the old couple?”

I sighed. “I literally ran into them after escaping this guy who’d kidnapped me.”

He raised his eyebrows. “You’re kidding?”

“I wish I was,” I said softly.

“How old are you?”

“I’m almost eighteen.”

“Did you lose your parents?” he asked hesitantly.

I shook my head and told him my story, starting with how we’d found Austin.

“So, that’s why you’re traveling to Atlanta, to be with your mom and sister?”

“Yes.”

“What happened to that Austin creep? You don’t think he’ll follow you to Atlanta?”

I hadn’t even thought of that. He knew exactly where I was headed. A tight knot formed in my stomach. “I hope not.”

“Well, beautiful, if that boy shows up when I’m around, he’ll meet my putter, head-on.”

I smiled. “Thanks.”

He looked at his dashboard and frowned. “We are going to really need some gas, and soon,” he said pointing to the gauge. “It’s a shame we couldn’t fill up back in the last town. The crowd of zombies made it impossible to even get out of the bus.”

I bit the side of my lip. “We aren’t going to run out, are we?”

“There’s a town coming up soon called Westhaven Lake. There should be a few gas stations there to refuel. We just have to hope they have generators, otherwise we won’t be pumping anything.”

I looked out into the moonlit distance to see nothing but trees and farmland, the view almost identical to the last few hours of town hopping. Although, it looked so peaceful and serene, I knew without a doubt the evil that lurked beyond the horizon. I laid my head back against the seat and stared into the darkness. Soon my eyes closed and I started to drift off.

16

“Cassie,” said Billie in a strained voice, waking me up just as I was about to punch Eva in the face.

I opened my eyes and cleared my throat. “Yes?”

He pointed toward the road. “Make sure your gun’s loaded.”

We’d just entered into the next town he’d mentioned and I stared in fascinated horror at the scene in front of us. Apparently, the town had been preparing for some kind of festival and there were more zombies mixed together than I could have ever dreamed possible. Some dead carcasses lay mangled and broken on the street, but most of the dead were walking around in a stupor, obviously searching for food.

“Shit,” mumbled Billie. “Now I know why this town sounded so familiar. Every year, Westhaven holds a huge motorcycle rally and it brings in thousands of riders,” he slapped his hand on the steering wheel. “This isn’t good, not at all. I learned about this event on cable and these bikers were crazy enough when they were alive.”

“Well at least they’re calm at the moment and not tearing each other’s throats out,” I pointed out. Usually, that meant they were in such a frenzy to feed that their adrenaline was on overdrive, making them even more dangerous for us. “What are we going to do?” I whispered as we drew closer to the mob.

He released a ragged breath. “The only thing we can do; stay alive, find gas, and then get the hell out of Dodge.”

“Jesus Christ! Where in the hell have you taken us, Tinkerbell?” hollered Henry, who’d apparently made his way to the front of the bus.

“Henry!” hollered Mary, coming up behind him. “Don’t be so rude! Billie is doing the best he can… Oh Lord,” she said in a strangled voice. “Would you look at that?”

Shane and Dale hurried to the front of the bus.

“Oh great, can we try turning around?” asked Dale as he began chewing on his fingernails. “It’s suicide to go into that mob.”

“Quit biting your nails, Dale,” said Billie, glancing back toward him. “You’ll ruin them.”

I looked at Dale’s French tips and sighed. Even he had prettier nails than I did now.

“Mary, I shouldn’t have let you talk me into driving with these dipshits,” grumbled Henry shaking his head. “Our gooses are cooked now, by golly.”

“Henry, please,” groaned Mary.

“Billie, you’re just going to have to drive through the mob,” I said. “You’ve done it before.”

“I’m not worried about driving through them; I’m worried about running out of gas,” replied Billie.

As we entered into the heart of town, I stared in fascination at the hordes of unholy dead milling around the large tents that had been set up for the festival. Zombies in varying stages of decomposition littered the brightly lit streets and I literally felt like we were driving through a circus of horror.

Mary raised a hand to her mouth. “God Almighty,” she whispered in stunned horror. “These atrocities are the work of the Devil. Oh, Lord, why hast thou forsaken us?”

“It is a sign of the apocalypse,” said Shane, making the sign of the cross. “Oh yes, we are entering the ‘End of Days.’”

Henry turned to Shane and scowled. “Put a lid on it, Tina Turner! You’re gonna give poor Mary a heart attack. This is the work of the damn government, not God!”

Shane put a hand on his waist and pointed at Henry. “Don’t you get snippy with me, old man! And it’s Beyoncé, not Tina Turner! Get your Divas right, you old Honky Tonk!”

Henry snorted. “Diva Shmiva. The point is that it’s not the end of the world, so stop with the ‘Revelations’, sister.”

“Are you all through bickering so I can concentrate on driving?” shouted Billie. “Because this may look easy, but believe me when I say, it’s not.”

“Hey, I didn’t start the End of the World ranting and raving,” pouted Henry.

As we continued on through all of the bloodshed and carnage, I tried desperately to push away my fears of being trapped on the bus. It was hard, though. I knew if we ran out of gas, we’d be sitting ducks and the zombies would eventually find a way in or we’d try to leave and surely get slaughtered.

“Shit, shit, shit…” cried Billie as the fuel light lit up. We were now really running out of gas.

“There’s a gas station farther up the street, Billie. Just ride the fumes if you have to,” said Dale.

“Wait! Forget the service station,” I said, pointing. “There’s a car dealership right next to it.”

“No time to go looking for a new or used vehicle, Wild,” mumbled Henry.

“No, but we can probably get our hands on something inside to get us the hell out of here. It’s got to be safer than trying to fill up with zombies surrounding us on every side. Even with our weapons, we won’t be able to just stand out there and fill up this enormous tank. They might not even have a generator. It’d be a certain death trap.”

“She’s right, Billie,” said Dale, nodding his head. “There’s no way you’ll be able to do that. It’s suicide. Better to trade this thing in before we have no other choice. It’s a gas guzzler anyway.”

“Listen,” I said. “If you can get us close enough to the entryway, we can break into one of the glass doors. My dad works at a dealership and I have an idea of where they keep the spare keys for all of the new vehicles. I’ll bet they have some of their best ones on the showroom floor; we’ll get in and out of there before you know it. ”

“I have to agree; she’s right,” said Henry. “Best to listen to that young girl, she’s stayed alive this long with that kind of logic.”

“Oh man, this is gnarly,” said Billie as he continued to plow through the zombies. We were in the thick of it now and had already slaughtered multitudes of zombies that had gotten in our way. Blood, cartilage, and gore coated most of the exterior of the bus, making it look like some type of grotesque metal monster. The nightmarish macabre was enough to drive a normal person to the brink of insanity.

“Lord, make that noise stop!” shrieked Shane as he placed his hands over his ears while the thumps of bodies under our feet echoed down the length of the bus.

Mary stuck a hand over her mouth. “I’m going to be sick,” she cried then flew toward the back of the bus.

As Billie maneuvered the bus through more swarms of zombies, body parts became trapped under the tires, making the bus rock and the tires spin at times. It was like driving through one of Minnesota’s blizzards where the snowdrifts got in the way. Well, maybe a little worse.

“They’re following us,” said Billie as he checked his mirror. We were on our last gas fumes and going less than ten miles per hour. At times he had to give it more pressure just to get over the body parts.

“Get as close as you can. In fact, try to parallel park right up next to the doorway,” I said.

Billie snorted. “Easier said than done. This thing’s a tank.”

We drove up and over the curb then he maneuvered the bus right next to the glass door, less than five feet away.

“Awesome,” I said, kissing his cheek.

“That’s some damn good driving, man, er… Billie,” said Henry, patting him on the back.

“Cassie,” said Mary, holding out her sword. Her lip was trembling slightly. “Take this with you. You’re going to need it.”

“Thanks, Mary,” I said as I stuck my gun into the back of my shorts and grabbed the sword. “I’m almost out of bullets.”

“Don’t get hurt out there,” she said, grabbing my hand. “You know, letting you off of this bus is against everything I believe in. I know we haven’t known each other long, but I do know you’re one very special girl.”

I blinked back the tears as she hugged me against her warm grandmotherly chest. Even in all of this, she smelled like vanilla cookies.

Billie stood up and looked at everyone. “I’m going in with Cassie for backup. When we’ve found a good vehicle to escape in, we’ll signal for the both of you.”

Henry grabbed his shotgun. “I’m coming with you two, as well. You need some experience and backup.”

“Okay, thanks, Henry,” said Billie as he started putting on his heels.

Henry pointed to Billie’s dress. “Don’t you have anything to wear that isn’t so… frilly? You’ll be tripping on your dress and the zombies will be all over you. I doubt you’d enjoy that much.”

Billie snorted. “Believe me if I’d have brought more clothes, I’d have changed a long time ago.”

“At least leave the heels behind. I don’t want to have to watch you trip and fall like one of those women on them late night horror movies. Those are the ones that always end up getting filleted.”

“I don’t want to cut my feet,” he replied and then let out an exasperated sigh. “Screw it. I’ll just break off the heels. They cost me a fortune but if I’m dead, it won’t matter.”

“Young Wild here has the right idea,” said Henry pointing to my mountain boots. “You can kill the bastards and then have the traction to climb over them when you’re done.”

“Henry, please be careful out there,” interrupted Mary as she grabbed his arm.

Henry turned to her and gave her a hug. “Don’t you worry about a thing, beautiful; we’ll be back for you before you know it.”

Billie opened the door of the bus and we noticed right away a couple of zombies trying to get in.

“I got this, you two work on breaking the glass,” I said, slamming my foot into the nearest zombie’s face. He fell backwards and I jumped off the bus and slammed my foot into his face again.

“Good job, Wild!” yelled Henry.

I think he was finally starting to accept me.

The smell in the night was almost unbearable. Admittedly, we were all getting impervious to the zombies’ appearances, but nothing ever prepared one for their distinct fragrance of decay, garbage, and shit.

The next zombie to cross my path had a long, matted, black beard that contained things I didn’t even want to consider. His appearance would have been almost comical if it hadn’t been so repulsive. His fur-covered chest and bloated beer belly stuck out larger than Sara’s pregnant one, and he wore nothing but a pair of streaked white underwear that had seen much better days. Well, maybe not on that guy.

We locked eyes, my brown ones and his yellowish red ones; then he charged me like a bull.

I stepped aside as he proved to be as graceful as many of the other zombies I’d come in contact with.

He got back up off of the ground, shook his head like a dog, and growled at me.

“Hey, maggot face! Here’s a new trick for you… play dead!” I demanded, lifting the sword in the air. Then I caught myself and laughed bitterly. “My bad, you already know that trick.”

Then with a quick slice, I sent his head rolling across the ground. I was now finding even my own jokes pretty tasteless. My dad would sure be proud, though.

Henry jumped off the bus and wrinkled his nose in disgust. “Jesus, this town smells worse than the lunchroom at my damn nursing home. Let’s get inside before I change my mind.”

Another zombie screeched in delight when she noticed us.

“Right behind you, after I kill this thing,” I said, raising the sword again.

“Jesus,” he replied looking at the carnage I’d already created. “You’re getting more dangerous by the minute, young lady. Remind me not to give you shit about your cell phone anymore.”

“Henry,” shouted Billie as he stepped off the bus. “Blast the door with your shotgun.”

“Yesiree.”

Next I heard Henry’s gun go off and the glass shattered into millions of tiny pieces.

“Behind you, Billie!” I shouted as a chunky, frizzy, bleached-blonde zombie came at him with her mouth open. She wore jean-shorts and a leather bustier that was so tight, rolls of extra skin bulged out all over.

Billie cringed. “That’s attractive,” he said before he slammed his golf club into the zombie’s mouth. “Obviously her friends should have signed her up for ‘What Not To Wear.’”

When we finally made it inside, I began searching for car keys while Billie grabbed a couple of cubicle wall pieces and placed them against the doorway, blocking the entrance. I had to admit, for a guy wearing a dress, he was much stronger than he appeared.

“Don’t forget to grab a couple of chairs to hold it in place,” said Henry as he sat down on a leather sofa in the showroom and took out his tin of chew. “I’d help you, but I’m almost a century old and can’t handle much more of this excitement.”

The keys were located in a locked drawer in the back of the showroom. I blasted a hole into it and yelled out to the guys to choose a couple of the vehicles from the showroom floor.

“Oh yeah, and I will need the model number to locate the correct keys,” I yelled.

“There’s an LX on the floor that’s mighty pretty, Wild,” called Henry.

We ended up choosing two SUVs on the showroom floor, one of them built for luxury, the other on was some kind of Hybrid with better gas mileage.

“Shit, some of the zombies will be getting through soon,” said Billie. They were kicking and pushing at the wall he’d built. “Let’s hurry.”

Henry got up from the couch. “Get in the car, Billie. Wild and I’ll take care of the zombies. You just get ready to drive like a bat out of hell when it’s time to go.”

When the zombies finally made it through our temporary blockade, Henry and I took them out. Then, we signaled for the others to leave the bus.

“Hurry, but be careful where you step,” I said, as Mary and the others stepped cautiously off the bus and around the beheaded zombies. When they walked into the dealership, Henry and I blocked the entrance again with more of the cubicle pieces.

“Here,” I said, handing Dale the other keys. He jumped in and started the engine while Shane loaded food and water into the back of the SUV.

“Come on, Mary,” I said. She was staring toward the opening in the glass at the zombies peeking over the cubicle wall.

“Ben?” gasped Mary. She pointed toward a young man, obviously now, a zombie. “Oh, my God! It’s my son!”

17

“Jesus Christ, woman! Your son wouldn’t be at this festival! He’s hustling whores in Amsterdam!” yelled Henry, who was now waiting in Billie’s vehicle. “Get your butt into the SUV!”

But Mary was transfixed and started moving toward the zombie, who stared at her with more than just love; his was an insatiable hunger for Southern food.

“Ben? What have they done to you?” she sobbed, raising her hands out to meet his outstretched ones.

“No, Mary… stop!” I hollered, grabbing for her arm. I tried pulling her back toward the SUV, but she broke away from me.

“It’s okay, Cassie,” she said with a reassuring smile. “Ben would never hurt his momma.”

Then everything seemed to happen at once. The glass-plated wall surrounding the dealership shattered as the crowd of zombies pushed forward. Within seconds, they were all finding a way in.

“Ben” stumbled toward us with a victorious grin etched across his chewed-up face.

“Stay back, Mary!” I yelled, pushing her safely behind me. I then raised the sword and started slashing at the grotesque zombies quickly approaching us, while trying to push her closer to the SUV. Blood and body parts began flying everywhere and I had to force back down some stomach acid mixed with dill chips from earlier.

“Ben!” yelled Mary. “Come with us, son!”

He wanted to come with her, but for different reasons. Before I knew it, he stood in front of us with his hands moving toward me. When I raised my sword to remove his head, Mary screamed and pushed me over to protect the zombie she was so sure was her son. My ankle twisted again, and I cried out in pain.

“I’m sorry, honey, but it’s my boy!” sobbed Mary, now facing me, her back to the zombie.

“He’s behind you!” I yelled at her, trying to crawl away myself. My ankle was on fire and I couldn’t get up. “Watch out!”

Instead, she offered me her hand to help me up. “Here, dear,” she said, smiling.

I watched in horror as Ben bared his teeth and pitched forward.

“Mary!” I screamed in anguish.

I knew it was the end for her and there was nothing I could do. With a cold smile of victory on his seeping face, he attacked Mary viciously from behind. He opened his mouth, bit the back of her head, and began chewing greedily. Her eyes widened in shock and disbelief.

“No!” screamed Henry, who was now scrambling to get out of the SUV.

But it was too late, Mary was dragged to the ground and several zombies were on top of her, tearing through her clothes to get to her flesh.

“Oh, my God, Mary!” I choked, backing away from the crowd of undead now feeding upon her. There was no way I could get to her without getting bitten myself. Somehow, I managed to stand.

“Get into the SUV, Cassie!” hollered Billie.

I took one last heart-wrenching glance toward the horrible scene, trying desperately to think of a way to save her. But then I caught a glimpse of her lifeless blue eyes, which now stared up at the ceiling, and I knew it was too late anyway.

Billie laid on the horn and I limped to the SUV.

“Are you okay?” I asked Henry as I slid in next to him.

“What do you think?” he mumbled.

I grabbed his hand and held it in mine. “I’m sorry, I tried to stop it.”

Henry raised his tear-stained face and looked me in the eye. “It’s not your fault, Wild. Don’t ever blame yourself. She was a stubborn woman.”

“Hold on, guys, we’re getting the hell out of here,” said Billie, fastening his seatbelt.

The next thing I knew, we were flying through broken glass following Dale.

“Check that out,” pointed Billie as we blew through the crowd of zombies surrounding the dealership.

A big, red pickup truck was charging down a side street and Dale began to follow him, so of course we did, too.

There had to be thousands of zombies combing the streets and I realized how lucky we were by escaping. Unfortunately, we’d lost the one person in the group I would have gladly risked my life to save. She’d been loving and kind, and I knew that if I survived this nightmare, I’d be a better person because of knowing her.

Sorry, Mary, I thought. I wish I could have saved you.

It was quiet in the SUV and I stared blindly out the window, thinking about all the lives lost and the ones that were walking a fine line between life and death. I thought of Allie again and prayed she was still holding on. I missed her and my mother so very much, it was beginning to feel like grief.

When we finally made it through the town of undead bikers, we slowed until we parked parallel to Dale on the side of the road. The other truck sat idling about a hundred feet away, now facing toward us with its lights shining brightly.

Dale rolled his window down. “What the hell is that guy doing?”

Billie waved at the red truck through his window but they didn’t respond. “You’d think they’d be happy to see other living people,” he yelled.

“Maybe it’s because you look a little creepy, sweetheart,” quipped Dale, “especially, with your mascara running down your face, your crazy man hair, and the torn evening gown.”

“Oh, damn it,” groaned Billie, looking down. “It is torn! And it’s a Versace.”

I looked over at Henry, who was now snoring softly.

Poor guy, I thought, thinking of his best friend, Mary. She’d had a huge heart and had paid for it with her life.

I picked up the sword she’d given me and cringed; it was still covered with traces of zombie blood. “I’m putting this sword into the back of the SUV,” I said. “It’s totally disgusting.”

When I got out of the SUV, the mysterious truck flashed its high-beams at me, temporarily blinding me. I scowled and flipped him off.

“Cassie,” said Billie, “best to not start anything. We’ve all had enough violence tonight.”

“The jerk doesn’t have to flash me like that,” I said, climbing back in.

With a rev of the engine, the stranger kicked up some rocks and tore away down the road.

“Freak,” snorted Dale.

“Hey, Dale, you lead,” said Billie. “Next town you see that’s not too infested with those zombies, find a store. I need to get my hands on some new clothes.”

“We all do, honey,” said Shane pointing his thumb at Dale. “It’s beginning to smell a little funky in this SUV.”

Dale snickered.

“You know it’s true,” said Shane. “Don’t be a hater because I smell like Chanel and you smell like something that crawled out of a zombie’s butt.”

“Excuse me, but your perfume wore off many zombies ago. Don’t even get me started on your stank, bitch.”

“Let’s go,” said Billie, who shook his head and started the engine. Before long, we were on the road again, driving through Kentucky.

I swallowed back my grief and sent my dad a text message, letting him know that we were a little behind and that I really missed him.

I miss you too, honey, he’d typed back. If we beat you to Nashville, I’ll text you. Also, if your phones die, just meet us at the Grand Ole Opry. It’s only a few miles past the airport and there are signs all over to lead you there. Stay strong!

Although I was dying to ask about Bryce and Eva, I really didn’t want to know what was happening, so I just typed a quick goodbye to my dad. In less than four hours, I’d know the truth anyway.

18

We drove until we reached the city of Richmond, where Dale pulled into a large Wal-Mart parking lot. We decided against the local mall since there were too many zombies to risk getting in.

“This makes more sense anyway,” I said. “I think they even sell some kind of firearms.”

We followed Dale through the parking lot while he maneuvered us around most of the zombies. Just when I thought he was going to drive through the front entrance, he drove around to the back of the store where an employee exit door stood ajar.

“I worked at Wal-Mart when I was younger,” said Dale, “always kept the back door open there, too.”

“Keep your personal life to yourself,” grumbled Henry. “There’s a young, impressionable girl present.”

“Gotta love a hypocrite,” mumbled Billie under his breath.

Henry scowled. “What was that?”

Hiding my smile, I went to the back of the truck and grabbed the katana.

“Zombies coming… let’s go in, now!” hollered Dale.

A large group of zombies staggered toward us as we quickly slipped through the door into the warehouse. The door locked automatically once it was shut, and we could hear them growling and clawing outside, trying desperately to get to us.

“It’s dark in here,” mumbled Dale.

“That’s why you should always be prepared,” said Henry, pulling out a flashlight. “I made it this far for a reason, too, you know.”

We cautiously made our way through the warehouse and into the large store. From there, we found just enough light peeking through the windows as the sun began to rise to see where we were going. This was good, because it was at that point we encountered our first two zombies in Wal-Mart.

“Got this,” I hollered.

I raised the katana, and within seconds I had both of their rotting heads rolling down the aisle.

“Damn, girl,” said Shane, giving me a high-five. “I think you’re my new BFF. No offense, Dale.”

Dale pretended to pout. “None taken, bitch.”

Henry looked bewildered and shook his head. “You people are so confusing.”

“Gun section up ahead,” I said, jogging toward the large glass case. I found a couple of rifles and quickly broke through the lock to inspect them.

“Wow, this one’s impressive. It’s an M16,” I said and smiled, surprised by their selection. “Oh yeah, this will do very nicely.”

Dale patted me on the back. “You know, I don’t know what we’d have done without your help. Has anyone ever told you that you’re a rock star?”

I blushed. “No, but thanks.”

“I have to agree, your parents raised you right. You were more prepared for this shit than any of us,” said Billie, putting an arm around my shoulders. “Martial artist, gunslinger, and even a sword master. Damn, I’ve never, ever met a girl your age with as much determination.”

I shrugged. “Survival will do that.”

“Well, you survive very well,” said Dale. “And we’re all grateful.”

“Let’s get going before I die of old age here,” said Henry. “I’m supposed to be meeting my son in Nashville in a few hours.”

“Oh, is he cute?” asked Dale.

The look Henry gave him was enough raise all the dead we’d killed earlier.

“Um, we should really stock up on ammunition,” I said, breaking the uncomfortable silence.

We scored several rounds of ammunition for both rifles and even my Ruger.

“Here,” said Billie, handing me a backpack. “Fill it up.”

When we were done, we searched the rest of the sporting goods section and located some pretty impressive machetes.

“Oh yeah,” said Shane as he picked up one that was twenty-five inches long. “I don’t care what they say, bigger is better.”

“Zombies, coming in quickly!” squealed Dale.

Three rabid zombies were ambling toward us. Henry raised his gun and started shooting.

“Shane, behind you!” I yelled.

Shane turned around and screamed at the gruesome zombie coming at him. Its face was riddled with bloody sores, one of its ears was missing, and its intestines were trailing behind. It was so disfigured, I couldn’t tell if it was male or female.

Shane closed his eyes and started stabbing wildly at the air.

“Jesus Christ, open your eyes, sissy!” hollered Henry, shaking his head. “The zombie isn’t going to wait for you to kill it or step into your line of air stabs.”

But he’d overestimated this mindless zombie, who did step forward to receive a deep stab, right to his skull.

“Good job, Shane!” cried Dale, as he ran toward Shane and shook him excitedly. “You did it!”

Shane was trembling and there were tears running down his cheeks. “It’s… dead?” he asked, brushing at them.

I grinned. “Oh, it’s more than dead now, Shane. Awesome job!”

He closed his eyes again, nodded slowly, and released a ragged sigh. “Just give me a moment to compose myself.”

We decided to split up and began scoping out the store, killing more zombies as we moved.

“Rotten meat,” remarked Dale when I ran into him by the food section. “God, it smells as bad as the zombies in this section.”

Packages of unrefrigerated meat lay strewn throughout the place, most of them opened and empty.

“Looks like they were really feasting over here,” said Billie, coming up behind me.

We grabbed a stroller and started gathering some nonperishable food, water, and first-aid items. I also grabbed a large container of pickles.

“Pickles?” said Billie. “Is there something you’re not telling us?”

“Only that I love ‘em,” I said, opening up the jar. I took a large one out and started crunching down. I closed my eyes and smiled. “Oh, how I’ve missed you, my precious friend.”

“Billie, do you like your pickles that big, too?” asked Dale with a twinkle in his eyes.

“Shut it, perv,” replied Billie.

“Hey,” called Henry, who was walking toward us. “I think it’s time you boys left your skirts behind and found something more appropriate for killing zombies.” He was now wearing a new pair of jeans and button-down shirt. The cowboy hat he’d been wearing earlier was also replaced with a new black one.

“Looking sharp, Henry,” I said, crunching down on my second pickle.

“Thanks, Cassie. You know, you might want to consider changing yourself.”

I looked down; my shirt was splattered with bits of zombie gore. “Yeah, it’s time to go shopping.”

After one last pickle, I grabbed a cart and started loading it with T-shirts, shorts, and underwear.

“Billie, can you cover me while I change in the ladies room?” I asked.

He smiled. “No problem.”

“Thanks,” I said, grabbing a few toiletries, a couple of towels, and some new mountain boots.

In the restroom, I stripped and cleaned the dried blood from my body, then washed my hair and brushed my teeth.

As I stepped out of the restroom wearing a white tank top and black cargo pants, Billie gave me an exasperated smile. “Um, you have a whole store to choose from and you’re going to go with ‘boring’?”

“Sorry, I’m going with practical.”

He studied my face. “I guess with your looks, it doesn’t matter what you’re wearing. I’m sure the boys were pounding down your door for dates back home.”

I snorted. “No. Not really.”

“Maybe they were intimidated by you.”

“Well, I went out with one guy from my karate class a couple of times. We didn’t really connect, though. Then there was this other guy recently who I thought was the one, but…” I shrugged and looked down.

Billie placed a hand on my shoulder and squeezed it. “I’m sorry, honey. Did he die?” he asked softly.

I looked him in the eyes. “No, but if I get my hands on him, he’s going to wish he had.”

19

We grabbed our carts, now heaped with supplies, killed a few zombies hovering around the two trucks, and left Wal-Mart.

“We’ll follow you, Shane,” said Billie, again in the driver’s seat. Henry rode next to him again while I sprawled out in the back with my tender ankle.

Shane was driving the other vehicle this time, giving Dale a chance to rest. They’d both changed into regular street clothes and it surprised me how masculine they actually looked without their costumes.

“Cassie, how’s your ankle?” asked Henry.

I grinned. “Better, now that I have ibuprofen in my system.”

“It looks pretty swollen.”

I smiled. “You wouldn’t happen to have an ice-pack, would you?”

“Amazing how much you take the simple things in life for granted. Like ice,” replied Henry.

Billie released a long sigh. “I don’t know… is it me, or did taking that stuff feel really wrong to you guys? I mean, all of those items would have cost thousands of dollars and we just took it. We looted a frickin’ Wal-Mart.”

Henry, who’d just bitten into a foot-long Hershey bar, snorted. “Don’t you go feeling guilty, son. What stores charge these days is highway robbery, by golly. Back in my day, regular candy bars cost only a nickel and you could buy yourself a house for the price of what’s sitting in our trunk right now.”

“Well, it still feels wrong to me,” said Billie.

“Hey, there’s that truck again,” I said, pointing out the window ahead of us.

The red pickup we’d encountered earlier was now pulled over to the side of the road.

I rolled down my window as we passed by and raised my hand in greeting. Just like before, however, they ignored us.

“Forget that idiot,” said Henry, “If he doesn’t want to be friendly, so be it. Besides, we don’t need more distractions. I want to get to my grandson.”

I turned to stare out the back window and watched the truck pull back onto the road.

“Looks like he’s decided to follow us,” I said. “Oh, and coming in pretty quickly, too.”

The truck continued to speed up until he was riding our bumper. I struggled to see the driver, but the windows were tinted so dark, I couldn’t make out anything.

“I thought it was illegal to have windows so dark?” said Billie. “Hey, jerk! Go around or get off our asses!”

The truck tapped our bumper and I flew forward and hit the back of the seat in front of me. Like an idiot, I hadn’t had my seatbelt on. I’d been too busy trying to lie down.

Billie swore and opened up his window. He then stuck his hand out and motioned for the driver to go around us.

Instead, the truck tapped us again, this time, harder.

“Jesus Christ!” hollered Henry. “Are you sure this ain’t one of your relatives, Wild?”

I ignored Henry’s jab and instead opened up my window and flipped the other driver off. Seconds later, it tapped us a third time and I went crashing back down to the floor.

“Well, that’s it, I’m pulling over,” said Billie. “Find out what this asshole’s problem is.”

“No!” Henry and I shouted at the same time.

“That’s what he wants, son! Hand me my rifle, Wild. I’ll take care of this jackass.”

The next thing I knew, Henry had removed his hat and was leaning out the window with his gun raised, just like in the movies.

I quickly moved as far down into the backseat as I could. I couldn’t imagine this turning out good at all.

“Tap this bitch, asshole!” yelled Henry as he began firing out the window, toward the truck.

“Get him?” I asked.

“No. They sure make it look easy on television,” grumbled Henry, as he reloaded.

Then, before you could say “five-cent chocolate”, the pickup flew past, leaving us eating his dust.

“Okay, that was weird,” I said, sitting up straight.

“You okay?” asked Billie, looking at me in the rearview mirror.

“Fine,” I said.

Henry rolled up his window and put his hat back on. “I’d better keep my gun ready, just in case.”

I grabbed my Ruger. Something told me I’d be needing it very soon.

20

“Did you see that?” asked Billie about an hour later.

“What?” asked Henry.

I put down the book I’d taken from the store and sat up straighter. “What’s wrong?”

We’d slowed down near an abandoned motel. Three dead zombies lay near the office.

“So?” I asked. “Someone killed the zombies. Maybe they wouldn’t give them a room?”

“No, I think I saw that truck from earlier going around the back of those motel units. The one who’s been messing with us,” replied Billie.

“Well, just keep going,” I said. “We don’t need any more trouble.”

“No, I think we should have it out with that bastard,” barked Henry, smacking the palm of his hand. “He might be waiting for us right now. You never know, he could be taking a break and planning on attacking us all over again. We can surprise him this time, though.”

Shane and Dale, noticing we’d stopped, turned around and parked next to us.

“What’s going on?” asked Dale.

“Did you see that jerk messing with us earlier?” asked Billie.

Shane nodded. “We weren’t sure exactly what was going on. He roared past us like the devil was chasing him.”

“We think he’s hiding out behind the row of motel rooms over there,” pointed Billie.

“We can trap him,” said Henry. “Sandwich him in.”

“If that’s what you want to do,” said Dale. “But I think we should just get the hell out of here and leave the psycho alone. What if he has a gun?”

“We’ve got guns,” replied Henry.

“But we don’t know how crazy that guy is. He might just start shooting at everyone,” said Dale.

“Look, he’s attacked us already and it’s kind of odd how he’s hiding out here now. It’s almost like he’s waiting for us,” said Billie. “I’m with Henry on this. We need to get rid of this guy once and for all.”

“What are you going to do, go back there and kill him?” I asked incredulously.

“No, but we can at least take out his tires. We’ll immobilize him and leave,” said Billie.

I nodded. “I’ll go with that.”

Stopping him before he did anything else to us later made perfect sense to me.

“If you’re going to do something, do it quickly then,” said Dale. “He’ll be coming around pretty soon, if that’s what he’s really doing.”

Billie nodded. “I think we should go on foot, shoot his tires, and run.”

“I guess that means I’m going,” I said. The only other person who could shoot fairly well was Henry, and he could barely walk. Well, with my injured ankle, I wasn’t much better.

“Don’t worry,” said Billie. “Dale and I are coming with, to cover you.”

Dale nodded and got out of the other SUV.

“I’ll honk if I see him coming around the other side,” said Shane.

Billie and I got out and grabbed our guns. We then snuck around to the back of the motel. Sure enough, it was the same pickup truck we’d seen earlier.

“Did you hear that?” whispered Billie?

My stomach dropped, a woman was screaming at the top of her lungs in holy terror.

Dale bit his lip. “I think he’s in one of the rooms; see the backdoor?”

I nodded. The unit where the truck was parked was the only one with a backdoor.

“That’s kind of weird,” I said.

“It might be a supply room or something,” said Billie. “I think we can assume he’s no longer in the truck with the sound of that screaming.”

The thought that this lunatic was the cause of the woman screaming chilled me to the bone. What kind of person were we dealing with?

We snuck toward the parked truck and found out that it was indeed empty.

The woman screamed again and Billie grabbed the handle to the screen door. “She needs help, let’s go before it’s too late.”

When we stepped through the door, we all gasped in horror. A zombie was handcuffed to the door handle of a refrigerator, and less than two feet from his reach, was a terrified woman tied to a chair. Her eyes were closed and she let out another ear-piercing scream.

“Shh...” I whispered, moving toward her. “It’s okay. We’ll get you out of here.”

The woman opened her eyes and gaped at me hungrily while Dale attempted to remove her ropes. I could tell by her reddened eyes that they were infected with the zombie virus. She opened her mouth and tried to bite me.

“Holy crap!” yelled Dale jumping back.

Billie shook his head. “What kind of game is this freak playing?”

I was trembling. “I don’t know. What was he going to do with the zombies?”

“He was either playing with them, or playing with us,” said Dale, his face completely white.

Next, we heard deep laughter and an engine roar to life. We raced out the back door only to find him tearing away.

21

We were moving again, keeping our eyes on the lookout for the crazy truck driver. When we’d told Henry what we’d found in the motel room, he wasn’t all that surprised.

“Like I said, we’ll be running into all kinds of crazy screwballs who’ve survived this zombie apocalypse. I’m sure some of them even thrive on this bullshit,” said Henry. “They have the ability to live out their own evil fantasies without having to pay any consequences now.”

“Well, maybe they’ll take out these zombies for us,” said Billie.

Henry shook his head. “They might, but sooner or later, they’re going to graduate to killing other survivors. It’s the terror they invoke in their victims that really gets them off. Zombies won’t give them that.”

I shuddered and hoped that whoever this guy in the truck was would be out of our lives pretty soon. I’d had enough insane people chasing me in the last twenty-four hours.

We continued on our way to Nashville, only encountering a few zombies on the road, thankfully. But, we did see horrifying animal carcasses left behind from some apparent zombie attacks. Apparently, they were getting desperate to eat anything now.

Henry shook his head sadly. “Those damn zombies are really starting to piss me off. It breaks my heart to think about them feeding on my grandson’s horses. He owns a ranch in Texas and his horses are his pride and joy. Now they’re nothing but bait.”

“What’s even more horrible to think about, is all the animals that aren’t getting fed because their owners have turned into zombies,” said Dale. “They’re probably just sitting around, waiting for someone to feed them. Wondering why the people they love more than anything in the world aren’t doing it.”

I thought about Goldie and wondered how she was fairing. I knew she had many people in her life that loved her now and probably wasn’t missing me much. But I certainly missed her, just like I missed the rest of my family.

“So, where exactly are you are supposed to be meeting your grandson, Henry?” asked Billie.

“Steven, my son, God rest his soul, used to own this service station about five miles north of the Opry. I’m supposed to wait for my grandson there, if he hasn’t already arrived. He was traveling all the way from New York.”

“Oh,” said Billie, trying to make conversation. “What was he doing in New York?”

“Tiny? Well, he’s a professional wrestler and was doing some matches out there.”

“The Tiny” I said, smiling, “as in ‘Tiny the Tank’? He’s your grandson?”

I’d never been much of a wrestling fan, but everyone in the world probably knew who Tiny was. He’d been in commercials, television shows, and even a of couple movies. The guy was an iron tank and the kids loved him.

Henry beamed. “Yessiree, the one and the only. I’m proud of that boy.”

“Henry, do you think he’s going to make it?” asked Billie softly. “New York’s going to be pretty difficult to escape from with the millions of zombies swarming out there.”

“Are you kidding me? That boy’s a brick shithouse. No zombie’s gonna put him down, by golly. You just watch.”

“He’s pretty strong,” I said, nodding in agreement. Tiny had to be close to seven feet and well over two hundred fifty pounds; sheer strength and power.

I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep again. When I woke up a little while later, Billie and Henry had switched spots.

“Wild, it’s going to be getting pretty grisly out there again soon,” said Henry. “Get your gun and slicer ready.”

“Yeah, I’m sure Nashville’s going to be crawling with the undead. All of those country singers and tourists.”

Henry spit a wad of chew into a small cup. “Yep, but this time now, we’re the stars of the show.”

***

I’d fallen asleep when my cell phone began to vibrate. My dad had sent me another message to let me know they were waiting for me at an abandoned warehouse four blocks away from the Grand Ole Opry.

What’s the zombie status there?

BAD near the OPRY. STAY AWAY! What’s your E.T.A?

“Hey, Henry? Are we close to Nashville yet?”

“Should be coming up within the next ten minutes or so.”

My dad gave me the address and directions.

Remember to stay away from the OPRY. Too dangerous.

We pulled up in front of Shane and Dale and motioned for them to follow.

“It’s almost the end of the road for our little adventure, Wild,” said Henry.

I smiled. “Well, it was certainly an eye-opening experience.”

He smiled and spit into his chew can. “Look, I realize I was a little hard on you when we first met. I’m like that to most. I certainly didn’t mean anything by it.”

I smiled. “It’s okay, Henry, really.”

“Well, it’s been a pleasure knowing you and I hope everything works out for you and your family.”

I’d never actually dove into the specifics of why my family was heading to Atlanta to Henry. I knew he had enough to worry about all by himself.

“Thanks, Henry. I wish the same for you and your family. Look, if it gets too bad in town, join up with us in Atlanta.”

“I will certainly keep that in mind.”

“I think I’d better drive, Henry,” said Billie, stretching his arms. “I need you sitting shotgun and firing that gun of yours toward the zombies. You’re a much better marksman than I am.”

Henry smiled proudly.  “Whatever you say.”

Billie yawned as we pulled over. “Grab me an energy drink from the back, will you, Cassie?”

“Can I have one?” I asked. We were going to be getting into the thick of things quickly and I wanted to be alert as possible.

“Sure. What about you, Henry?”

He chuckled. “Oh, no. My ticker can’t handle all that caffeine. I’m lucky if I can make it through a rough night of…”

“Zombies!” I screamed, pointing back toward Shane and Dale’s vehicle. They’d also stopped to wait for us, and Dale had apparently decided to leave the safety of their vehicle to relieve his bladder behind a nearby tree. Shane appeared to be too busy looking at a map to notice the impending danger.

“Dale, run!” hollered Billie, dashing toward his friend, who was almost a hundred yards away.

“That boy doesn’t know how to fire a gun properly,” growled Henry as he slid back over to the driver’s side and turned the SUV around. “It’s up to you, girl. Fire your gun and make it count.”

Dale was pulling up his zipper when he finally noticed the zombies ambling toward him. He screamed in terror and began running toward the safety of his SUV.

Henry and I came to a halt right as the first zombie reached Dale. I pointed my gun toward him, exhaled, and fired.

22

“Jesus Christ, Dale, what the hell were you thinking? Taking a whiz without a loaded gun?” barked Henry.

We all stood outside, staring down at the two dead zombies. I’d taken out the first one, and Shane had actually made it out of his vehicle in time to butcher the second one with his new machete. From the look on Shane’s face, he was still recovering from the experience.

“I don’t know,” Dale replied in a shaky voice. “It’s been so long since we’ve run into any zombies, I just… I just wasn’t thinking.”

“You’re lucky we were paying attention or those fellows would have been snacking on your winky,” said Henry with a smirk. “And I’m quite sure you wouldn’t have enjoyed it.”

Dale shivered. “Can we just leave? I’m feeling faint. I need to meditate.”

“Meditate?” I asked.

“Yes,” said Shane with an amused grin. “I drive and he meditates. In other words, he just sits in the backseat and hums.”

“There’s a lot more to it than that!” snapped Dale.

Shane rolled his eyes. “Okay, he releases ‘negative energy’.”

I bit back a smile. “Does it really work?”

Dale nodded. “Oh, yeah, you should try it sometime. It really helps me to release all my negative energy, making me feel totally refreshed afterwards.”

When everyone got back into their SUVs, I realized we were less than a few minutes away from seeing my family and friends. And of course, the conniving bitch, Eva. I closed my eyes in the backseat and tried to meditate.

***

There were hordes of zombies in Nashville. I tried estimating as we maneuvered our way around or through them and figured the numbers to be in the thousands. Fortunately for us, many of them already lay motionless on the ground, thanks to someone else’s bullets.

“Same shit, different town,” mumbled Billie, taking another sip from his energy drink.

“At least there aren’t too many vehicles blocking our way,” I said as we drove around a few scattered cars.

“Well, if you think about it, most of the people who turned into these things probably weren’t driving their cars when it happened. The virus made them pretty bedridden.”

“I feel like we’re in that movie with the island of dinosaurs. Just like when the scientists drove by, watching them feed on each other,” said Henry.

It was kind of like being at a strange zoo. The zombies were either wandering aimlessly or attacking each other with a vengeance. It was gruesome for anyone who’d never witnessed it before. Unfortunately, I was getting used to all the gore.

“Yeah, but don’t forget the part where the dinosaurs broke loose and were feeding on the humans,” said Billie.

“I don’t rightly recall that part. Fact is, I was with Veronica Baker and we were at the drive-in theater. She was stacked, by golly,” he chuckled. “Of course I do remember touching those huge...”

“There!” I yelled, pointing. “That’s the warehouse where my father’s supposed to be waiting.”

We drove into the parking lot and around to the side of the building. As we pulled up to one of the garage doors, it opened up from the inside and my dad stepped out. I hurried out of the truck and he gave me a big bear hug.

“Oh, thank God you’re okay!” he said, holding me tightly.

Hot tears burned my cheeks and I could tell he was crying, too. When he finally let me go, he wiped his face, which had aged even more since the last time I’d seen him.

“You okay, dad?” I asked.

“I’m a lot better now that I have you back.”

“Come on, I have some people you need to meet,” I said.

I brought him over and introduced him to my new friends and he shook each of their hands.

“Thank you so much for keeping my daughter safe,” he said, in a husky voice.

“Keep her safe? We should be thanking her,” replied Billie, putting his arm around me. “This girl probably saved our lives ten-fold.”

“Cassie!” cried Paige, running toward me. “Thank God you’re okay. We were so worried about you!”

As she hugged me, out of the corner of my eye, I saw Bryce coming toward us, with Eva not too far behind. He wore a sky blue nylon shirt that emphasized both his muscles as well as his deep, penetrating eyes. His faded blue jeans hung low on his waist, and as always, flattered his cute butt. The one Eva probably had her mitts on.

“Hi,” I said tightly.

He gave me a long, searching look. “So, you’re really okay?”

It hurt to look at him; he seemed so close but yet so far away. I longed to be back in his arms with his lips on mine. But instead, we both just stared at each other, like two uncomfortable strangers. When his blue eyes left mine, I could suddenly breathe again.

“Hi, I’m Bryce,” he said, introducing himself to everyone.

“Look at you and your cute little dimples,” teased Shane. I couldn’t help but smile as both he and Dale began fawning all over him.

When introductions were out of the way, I glanced at Eva, who had a swollen black eye.

I cringed. “Oh, wow! What happened to your eye?”

Before she could answer, Paige cut in, smiling sheepishly. “Oh, my bad! We were getting attacked by some zombies and I mistook her for one; it was pretty dark. I keep telling her how sorry I am, but she just doesn’t believe it was an accident.”

Eva scowled at Paige.

I hid my smile; I didn’t believe it, either.

“Well, we have to be going soon,” said Henry, pulling out a cigar. “My grandson will be expecting me.”

“We’d better leave, too,” replied my dad. “First, we need to find someplace safe to get gas.”

“Problem solved,” said Henry as he lit his stogie. “There’s a gas station up the road, and that’s where we’re heading. Just follow us.”

“Henry, you’re not going to smoke that thing in the SUV, are you?” asked Billie.

Henry’s eyes narrowed. “Why? These cigars are Cuban. You should try one, might make a man out of you.”

“Henry, that’s not fair,” I scoffed. “Billie’s already proven he’s a better man than most out there.”

Billie smiled and kissed my cheek. “I could say the same about you, G.I. Jane.”

I giggled and punched him playfully in the stomach. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Bryce raise his eyebrows.

“Relax, Wild, you know I was just giving him a hard time. Just like I said before, it’s my way,” replied Henry through a cloud of smoke.

Eva stepped closer and smiled at me. “Cassie, I’m so glad you’re safe. I heard what happened about Austin. I’m sorry it didn’t work out between you.”

I gritted my teeth. “There was nothing between us. I told you that, before.”

“Oh, I only assumed since you left together…” she said, her eyes wide with innocence.

My face turned red. “I was kidnapped! I certainly didn’t leave with him on my own free will.”

My father raised his rifle. “Okay, girls… we don’t have time for this. Zombies coming in fast!”

I limped toward the Denali where Bobbie, Sara, and Megan were peeking through the window.

“Cassie!” everyone screamed when I slid into the back.

“Hi, everyone. Boy is it good to see you guys,” I said.

Goldie barked and jumped on my lap, licking my face frantically.

“Thanks for the kisses, girl!” I laughed. She was so excited, I was afraid she was going to pee on me.

“I think she missed you, too,” said Sara.

“Cassie!” hollered Bobby, jumping up and down in the front seat. “Yay… it’s Cassie!”

“Cassie,” smiled Megan. “See my new bear?”

She held out a brown fuzzy bear wearing a karate outfit.

I gave the bear a small hug and handed it back to her. “That is so cute,” I said

“She named her Cassie,” said Sara.

“You did?” My eyes welled up with tears.

“Megan wanted to be near you, and fortunately, we found her that karate bear.”

“That’s so sweet,” I said.

“What’s wrong with your ankle?” asked Sara.

“I twisted it. It’s getting a little better, though.”

Sara touched my shoulder and smiled. “Well, we’re all glad that you’re back safely.”

“Okay, let’s go, kids,” said my dad as he jumped into the truck. “We’re following Billie so we can fill up, then we’ll be on our way to Atlanta.”

I looked out the window to see Bryce getting into the conversion van. His face looked angry and I could tell by Eva’s pout, that it probably had something to do with her.

“Hi!” I yelled toward Kristie as she waved to me from the passenger’s seat.

We tore out of the building just as the zombies were beginning to cluster around the parking lot. I watched in amazement as some of the zombies’ noses began to sniff the air, as if trying to catch our scent.

“Okay, that’s really creepy,” I said, rolling up my window. “Now they are hunting us with their noses? How do they even smell us through their own stench?”

“It’s okay,” whispered Sara into Megan’s ear. The child’s face was buried deep into her mom’s shirt and she was whimpering like a little puppy.

“Poor kid,” I said as I reached out and rubbed her back. “Don’t worry, Megan. We’ll keep you safe. They can’t get inside the SUV.”

Bobby, on the other hand, was adjusting a lot better than Megan. I watched in amazement as he pointed out zombies and begged my dad to “Get those suckers.”

“Nice, dad,” I said, shaking my head.

“What?” he asked innocently. “It’s our game we made up. The uglier the zombie, the more points we get. Bobby here is my partner, he points out the worst ones and we run ‘em down. Isn’t that right, buddy?”

“Yes. Extra points for the ones who try and attack us first!” hollered Bobby with a huge smile. “This game is my favorite!”

I shook my head incredulously and then relaxed in my seat. My dad always had this ability to make me feel safe, no matter what the circumstances. He was now having the same effect on Bobby, who really needed a father figure around; especially if big brother Bryce was giving Eva all his attention.

23

We followed Billie until we reached the service station where he was supposed to meet up with Tiny. It was located near a short stretch of farmland, where there wasn’t much more of anything else. Thankfully, there didn’t appear to be any zombies, either.

The guys got out with their weapons and quickly cased the area for walking dead, but found nothing. Not even Tiny, Henry’s grandson.

“I’m going to see if I can get through to your mom,” said my dad, pulling out his cell phone. “She hasn’t contacted me in a while, and I’m starting to get very worried.”

“I’ll fill up the tank,” said Sara.

“Wait, I gotta try and locate that generator inside. Tiny’s got one for the fuel pumps,” said Henry.

“I’ll come with you,” said Sara.

“No, I’ll do it,” said Billie.

“When is Tiny supposed to be here?” I asked.

Well,” said Henry, looking toward the empty freeway. “I’m sure he’ll be coming around soon. I’ll just find a way into the station, get that generator working for you guys, and then hold up here until he gets here.”

“Don’t worry,” said Billie, “I’ll stay with you until he arrives. It’s too dangerous to be on your own, even here.”

Just then Kristie and the girls got out of the van and hurried over. “Thank God you’re safe,” she said, giving me a hug. “I was so worried about you.”

“I’m fine; just a little sprained ankle.”

“What happened to Austin? Did you kill the bastard?”

“Mom!” yelled Kylie. “You know killing people is a mortal sin?”

Henry moved closer to Kylie and he smiled. “The Bible never mentioned anything about zombies, though,” he said, pulling out his can of chew. “But we know we have to kill those things, before they kill us.”

Kylie rolled her eyes. “Yeah, but they’re already dead.”

“Smart little fox you have there, Miss,” said Henry, staring intently at Kristie. “I’m sorry, I don’t think we’ve been introduced… I’m Henry.”

Kristie shook his hand. “I’m Kristie and these are my two daughters, Paige and Kylie.”

“Well, the apples don’t fall far from the tree, by golly. They take after their mama, real beauties.”

“Oh, thank you, Henry,” beamed Kristie, patting him on the shoulder.

Henry dropped his can of chew and Kristie reached down to retrieve it for him. I watched in horror as he glanced down her shirt and then it hit me. He’d dropped it on purpose!

“Here you go, Henry,” she said, handing it back to him.

Henry licked his lips. “Tell me, Kristie… do you like horses?”

“Um, Henry,” I said, interrupting him. I knew where this was going. “Is there a bathroom around here?”

He turned to me. “Well, should be one around the side. It’s probably locked, though.”

“I’ll come with you and open it,” said Bryce, who I didn’t know was standing right behind me.

“No, I can do it myself,” I replied, turning around to face him.

“Your ankle is swollen and you can barely walk. In fact,” he said, putting down his rifle, “you could probably use a lift.”

Suddenly, I was being lifted into the air and he was carrying me around to the side of the building.

“Bryce, put me down!” I hollered.

“Chill out, Wild,” he said. “I’m just trying to help.”

“I don’t need your help.”

He put me down and scowled. “Thank you? Isn’t that what you’re always hollering about? I guess you’re not very good at it, either.”

I glared at him. “How about, ‘thanks, but no thanks’.”

He shook his head. “What’s wrong with you? It didn’t work out with your little boyfriend and now you’re mad at the world?”

My jaw dropped. “My boyfriend?! What in the hell are you talking about?”

His face darkened. “Austin? The one you left with!”

“I didn’t leave with him, he kidnapped me! God, what is wrong with everyone?”

“Eva said she watched you leave with him, very willingly. And what about the note you left?”

“What note?” I asked incredulously.

“The one we found on the counter, back at your house. In the note you claimed that I was interfering with your relationship with Austin. That you two wanted to be together, and you’d be traveling to Atlanta together to meet up with your mother.”

“Are you out of your freakin’ mind?” I hollered. “I never left any note! Fine, where is it? I want to see exactly what it is that I supposedly wrote!”

The blood drained from his face. “Eva threw it away.”

“Listen,” I shouted, jabbing my finger at his chest. “I didn’t write any damn note and there was nothing going on between me and Austin! Ever!”

“Is everything all right?” asked Billie, coming around the corner with his chest puffed out.

I was so angry I wanted to kill something. Instead, I unclenched my shaking fists and took a deep breath. “Everything is fine, thank you, Billie.”

His eyebrows shot up. “Really? It didn’t sound fine a minute ago.”

I lifted my chin in the air and limped away from both of them, still seething with anger. It was quiet when I rounded the building and all eyes were watching me warily.

“Aren’t we done filling up yet?” I barked.

“Almost,” said Kristie, watching me curiously. “Do you need to talk?”

“No, maybe later,” I muttered. “Thanks.”

“You and Eva are switching vehicles,” said Paige. “We have so much to catch up on.”

Eva glared at Paige but didn’t say anything, which was a good thing because I would have punched her in the other eye if she would have opened up her yap.

The rumble of an engine broke the tension in the air and we all looked up to see the Harley coming at us in the distance.

“Well, there he is,” smiled Henry.

As the driver drew closer, I recognized the famous wrestler right away; closely cropped hair, thick neck, and biceps the size of grapefruits.

“Would you look at that tall drink of water,” breathed Kristie, licking her lips. “And am I parched. What I wouldn’t do for a sip right now…”

Tiny waved to Henry as he passed, then parked next to the front entrance of the station. When he stood up and removed his sunglasses, I thought Dale and Shane were going to faint. He not only had wrestler arms, he had a movie star smile.

“Henry,” said Shane, fanning himself, “so, um that’s Tiny?”

I smiled. “Obviously you’re not a wrestling fan.”

“Oh, I like to wrestle,” he replied, his eyes appraising the tall stranger. “Unfortunately, not the kind ‘The Rock’ over there prefers.”

“He’s not ‘The Rock’,” barked Henry as he shuffled toward his grandson. “That there’s the one and only ‘Tiny The Tank.’”

“Bullshit,” whispered Dale with a wicked grin. “Aint nothing tiny about that guy, I guarantee it.”

Tiny walked over to his grandfather and all but picked him up off the ground as he hugged him.

“Am I glad to see you, Tiny. I was getting a little worried, I have to say,” said Henry as Tiny put him back down.

In a voice that rivaled Mike Tyson’s, Tiny laughed and said, “Are you kidding me? All I have to do is look at a zombie and they curl up into a ball, screaming for their mommies.”

It took every part of my being not to burst out laughing when I saw all of the crestfallen faces. Apparently, Henry and I were the only ones aware that Tiny had a lisp and that his voice was as high as Megan’s, thus the wrestler’s original nickname .

Kristie, who’d also been surprised but undeterred, sashayed up to him and stuck out her hand. “Nice to meet you, Tiny, I’m Kristie.”

He gave her an appraising glance then took her hand in his. “Very nice to meet you as well, pretty lady. Tell me, do you like horses?”

***

After filling all of the vehicles with gas, it was time to get going, but I still hadn’t used the bathroom. Instead of announcing it this time and encouraging the kind of company I wasn’t prepared to deal with right now, I quietly slipped away. It really wasn’t difficult, however, since everyone was fawning over Tiny, the “Celebrity.”

The bathroom wasn’t locked, which seemed a little odd to me. I took out a mini flashlight from my pants, my newest necessity in an electricity-free world, and then kicked the door open, prepared for trouble. Fortunately, it was empty.

I locked the door from the inside and did my business, thankful for some private time all to myself. As I washed my hands, I thought about the strange argument with Bryce. The whole story with the note was still pissing me off, especially since I knew someone had to have forged it. It was either Eva or Austin, obviously. Either way, I was bound and determined to find out the truth.

A loud crash interrupted my thoughts. I limped over to open the door to see what was happening outside when an explosion rocked the entire station. I screamed and fell to the ground, smacking my head on the concrete.

“Where’s Cassie?” I heard my dad’s muffled shouts from somewhere outside.

My mind was in a fog and I felt something warm and slippery dripping from the top of my head, down the side of my face. I touched it and stared in confusion at the warm blood. When it dawned on me that it was mine, I began to panic.

Got to get out of here, I thought.

I raised myself up to leave, trying to move quickly, but my legs wouldn’t cooperate with my muddled thoughts. Then, miraculously the door was kicked open and somebody grabbed me. They picked me up, tossed me over their shoulder, and I closed my eyes in relief as I passed out.

24

I was weak and my head was throbbing. All I wanted to do was continue sleeping, but someone was mumbling, and it wasn’t me.

“Mine,” the raspy voice repeated near my ear, over and over.

“Wha?” I murmured, trying to open my heavy eyelids.

Someone was carrying me over their shoulder through tall rows of cornfields, away from the sound of the explosions. As I looked down, I recognized the clothing and a sickening wave of terror welled up in my stomach. Austin!

“Austin, put me down,” I said, my tongue thick.

He ignored me and picked up his pace.

“Please!” I begged again.

When he continued to ignore me, I began beating his back with my fists, only angering him in the process. He swore and then dug his fingers into my thigh, squeezing the tender flesh until I began to scream in agony.

“Stop screaming, or so help me, I will kill you,” he growled.

I’ve been trained in martial arts to protect myself, to never give up. But right now, I wasn’t thinking clearly. My head was on fire, my ankle hurt, and at any moment, I was ready throw up. My choices were limited as far as I was concerned. As I weighed my options, he stopped abruptly and reached into his pockets for something.

“Put her down!” barked Bryce.

Austin began to chuckle and turned around to face him. “Just retrieving what’s mine,” he said.

“She’s not yours. Now, put her down before I put you down.”

I hadn’t even noticed Austin’s gun until I heard it click. “Better idea, toss me your gun, before you’re the reason she dies.”

Bryce hesitated and then tossed his rifle.

“Good,” said Austin, as he placed me on ground.  He then moved behind me and pointed his gun toward my temple. “Now, this is how it’s going to be: you leave and I allow both of you live. Or you continue to interfere, and I’ll make sure you both spend eternity together.”

Bryce’s face was pinched tightly. “Jesus, leave her alone, she’s just a kid.”

Austin chuckled and began fondling my chest. “Doesn’t feel like a child.”

I stiffened at his touch and tried not to scream out in terror.

“I thought you cared about her?” yelled Bryce, taking a step forward. “You’re taking her from her family, setting off explosions; putting her life in danger. That’s not the actions of someone who cares!”

A low growling noise in the cornstalks somewhere behind Bryce surprised us all. I watched in horror as a zombie staggered through the corn and tried grabbing him with its gnarled dead fingers. Bryce quickly outmaneuvered the zombie and began kicking him in the face.

“Move!” snarled Austin, shoving me with the gun.

Realizing that I may never see Bryce or my family again if I left with Austin, I found the courage I needed to fight back. I surprised him by twisting my body around and quickly hitting the inside of his wrist with everything I had, knocking the gun from his hands.

“Crazy bitch!” he yelled, scrambling to pick it up.

I turned to run just as Bryce flew past me and kicked Austin in the chest, knocking him backwards. He lost the gun again, but instead of being angry, he howled with laughter and clapped his hands.

“Glad this is amusing for you,” said Bryce.

“Oh, it’s hilarious,” he said, standing up. “I can tell how much you love this shit. Being a hero.”

“You’re psychotic,” I snapped.

He turned to me with a sad smile and said, “Being in love will do that.”

I shook my head. He certainly didn’t know what love was.

“It’s over,” said Bryce, picking up the gun. “Just leave her alone. Don’t give me a reason to kill you, because believe it or not, I really don’t want to.”

Austin shook his head and took a step toward me. “Sorry, I can’t do that. She’s mine. You sure in the hell don’t deserve her.”

“Please, Austin!” I cried, trying to back away. “Stop doing this!”

“Back off, dude,” said Bryce, pushing me safely behind him. “Come on, last chance before I really hurt you.”

“Fuck you,” snarled Austin as he leaped toward Bryce, his hands raised up to grab his throat.

Bryce kicked him hard in the stomach, knocking him to the ground again. He sighed and looked at me. “Let’s just go, okay? He’s not going to last very much longer anyway, look at him.”

In my terrified state, I hadn’t noticed how really ill Austin appeared. His gaunt face was so gray; he looked deader than some of the zombies I’d faced. The mottled patches on his face, which had been faint before, were much more pronounced and his eyes were bloodshot. “Oh, God,” I said, covering my mouth in horror. “You were bitten?”

Austin smiled humorlessly. “No, the little zombie girl scratched me, remember? I haven’t been bitten. But whatever she did, sure fucked me up good.”

Bryce grabbed both guns and motioned for me to leave, but before I could do anything, I heard Austin growl angrily and charge at Bryce, this time with a hunting knife raised high in the air.

I screamed just as Bryce’s rifle went off, and I watched as Austin was riddled with bullets. When it was all over, he lay motionless on the ground.

Bryce dropped his gun and took me in his arms while I sobbed.

“It’s okay, Wild. Shh…”

Although Austin was a certifiable lunatic and had kidnapped me more than once, my emotions were more than a little complicated. I definitely felt anger, there was no doubt about that, but an even bigger part of me pitied him, especially knowing that he’d been attacked by a zombie. That had been the beginning of the end for him.

“Shit,” said Bryce, shoving me behind him, “more zombies coming.”

I backed away as two zombies moved through the stalks toward us. Just as he raised his gun to take them out, something grabbed my leg and I lost my balance. I stumbled to the ground and screamed in shock as Austin leaped on top of me, growling. From his cold, lifeless stare, I knew he was gone forever. Austin was now, officially, one of the undead.

“Bryce!” I hollered, trying to push Austin away, but he was much too powerful. He clutched me like I was his prize and he wasn’t about to let go.

Then Bryce was there, tearing me away. He shoved me behind him and then did a roundhouse kick, sending Austin flying.

“Bryce?” gasped Eva, appearing through the cornstalks right behind Austin. Her gaze drifted to Austin, who jumped up and tackled her to the ground. They began to wrestle and she screamed in horror when she saw that he was now a zombie.

Bryce, now armed with the gun, rushed over and shot Austin in the head. I cringed as his blood splattered all over Eva’s face and neck.

“Oh, God!” sobbed Eva, spitting out blood. “His blood got into my mouth!”

“Shit, zombie blood. Keep spitting it out!” demanded Bryce.

As usual, Eva whined and Bryce coddled her. I shook my head and started back toward the smoke, but not before I took one last look at Austin. I began to shake, thinking about his demise. He’d turned into a zombie with just a small cut. What did that mean for my little sister?

25

Eva, although still as pale as a ghost, had calmed down by the time we’d gotten her back to the gas station, which was now burning to the ground in a cloud of black smoke. The station, as well as Tiny’s Harley, had been destroyed in the fire. Luckily, everyone else had gotten their trucks away from the flames before being engulfed as well.

“Oh, my God,” I whispered, staring at the tall flames still burning.

“Thank God!” hollered my dad, rushing toward me. He held me to him. “What happened to you?”

I swallowed. “Austin.”

“That crazy bastard,” barked my dad, looking at my head. It had stopped bleeding, but hurt like crazy. “Are you okay?”

I lied. “Yes, I’m fine.”

Billie walked over from his SUV. “Bryce told me. It was Austin, huh? I’ll bet that’s his truck parked down the road, too.”

I raised my eyebrows. “What do you mean by that?”

“It’s the same lunatic who’s been terrorizing us,” he said. “His red pickup truck’s parked up the road. Your dad and I’ve been frantically searching for you and we stumbled upon it near this little farm.”

“So it was Austin following us all along,” I said. “Well, he won’t be bothering anyone anymore. He turned into a zombie and Bryce shot him.”

“So he’s dead?” asked my dad.

I nodded. “Twice over.”

“Good. He even started the gas station on fire as a distraction, I guess to get to you,” said my dad.

“Well, he found me.”

Paige and Kylie came over holding Goldie. “She’s been looking for you,” said Paige. She placed her on the ground and Goldie charged me, smothering my face with puppy kisses.

“So, I wonder what’s going to happen to Tiny and Henry?” asked Billie.

Paige snorted. “Are you kidding me? My mom has already invited them to ride with us. She can’t keep her eyes of Tiny’s bulging biceps.”

“That’s okay,” said my dad. “We have the room, and I owe Henry for helping Cassie out. Besides, Tiny would be a formidable partner against the zombies.”

“Yeah but you can’t just wrestle them to the ground,” said Paige. “It takes more than muscles and a Zeus persona.”

“Dave?” called Kristie as she stepped toward us. “I hope you don’t mind, but I invited Henry and Tiny to ride with us. When we get into town we should be able to find them a new vehicle.”

“I don’t mind at all,” he replied.

Kristie shook her head and laughed. “That old man is one horny old goat. He keeps dropping things on the ground and asking me to pick them up.”

“That’s creepy, mom,” said Kylie.

“Yeah, I know. But I don’t want to offend him or his grandson.”

“Why don’t you ask Tiny to pick the stuff up instead?” I said.

She smiled wryly and nodded. “Yeah, then I can watch him bend over.”

“Gross, mom,” said Paige, shaking her head in disgust. “And very immature.”

“I’ll show you immature,” she answered, then grabbed her lighter out of her pocket just as Tiny walked over with Henry. She pretended to light her cigarette but then “accidently” dropped the lighter.

My dad shook his head and mumbled something about “women” and being crazy; then he walked away.

“You know, I think I’ve hurt my back. Ouch!” she said, pretending to wince. “Say, Tiny? Can you pick that up for me?”

Just as Tiny was about to pick it up, Henry beat him to it. We all grimaced to see his old man crack smiling at us. “Here you go, sweet thing,” he said, holding up the lighter. “If you’d like me to light your fire, all you had to do was ask.”

“Grandpa,” groaned Tiny, shaking his head.

“What?” he asked with an evil grin. “I even have a wick she can use.”

“Let’s get rolling!” called my dad from his SUV.

“So, you riding with us?” asked Paige as the others started getting into their vehicles.

I shook my head. “No, it’s too crowded now with Tiny and Henry,” I said. “I’ll just ride with my dad and Sara again.”

Shane and Dale walked over to me and each gave me a hug.

“Remember, you’re always going to be one of my B-F-Fs.” choked Shane, wiping his tears. “Look at me, I’m getting all emotional.”

I smiled. “I love you, too, Shane.”

He squeezed my arm one more time and then walked to their SUV.

“Thanks for being such a great shot,” said Dale. “You saved my life quite a few times. I’ll never forget you, Wild.”

“I won’t forget you, either. Take care of these guys for me.”

He saluted me and then jogged over to join Shane in the SUV.

“Well,” said Billie with a sad smile. “I guess this is it for us. I’m sure going to miss you, G.I. Jane.”

I gave him a hug. “I am going to miss you, too. Now, remember, if things go bad in Florida,” I said, “come to Atlanta. Safety is in numbers.”

He nodded and then looked over at Bryce, who was storming toward us with a scowl. “Looks like you have your hands full with that one.”

I shrugged. “There’s nothing between us,” I said, “anymore.”

Billie grinned. “Well, you’d better tell him. From where I’m standing, that boy is hot for you.”

I snorted. “Right.”

“Don’t think so? Let’s test this out,” he replied. “Just go with it.” Then he took me into his arms and pressed his lips to mine.

“Is he looking?” whispered Billie, against my mouth.

“Oh, yeah.”

Billie let me go and stared into my eyes. “If there’s one thing I do know about love, it’s that it’s worth fighting for. Don’t let anything stand in your way, including yourself.”

I nodded and smiled.

Bryce’s face was scarlet by the time he reached us.

“So long, Wild,” said Billie as he started backing away from me. “I’ll remember you in my dreams.”

He was such a ham.

I laughed as he jumped into his SUV and started it up. Apparently, he was driving alone this time, following Shane and Dale.

“Wow, looks like you’re leaving broken hearts all over the country, Wild,” said Bryce.

I scowled at him while Shane pulled up next to us. “Whatever. Billie is gay,” I told Bryce. “He was just messing around.”

Shane, who had his window open, laughed. “That boy is not gay.”

I raised my eyebrows “What?”

Dale, who was in the passenger seat, filing his nails, snorted. “Girl, he’s as gay as Tiny and Henry.”

“Pity, too, he’s gorgeous,” said Shane.

And with that they took off hooting with laughter at my stunned expression.

“Wow,” I said. “I guess he never really said one way or the other, I just assumed.”

“You do that a lot, Wild. Assume.”

I glared at him. “Look who’s talking! You assumed there was something going on with me and Austin.”

He put his hands on his waist and scowled. “I saw the note. Whether it was real or not, how was I supposed to know?”

“Kids, I’m not sure what’s going on here,” said my dad, pulling up in his SUV. “But we have to go. Bryce, why aren’t you driving the other vehicle?”

“Tiny has taken over. I wasn’t about to argue with ‘the Tank.’ Can I hitch a ride with you guys?”

“What about Eva? Isn’t she going to have a fit?” I muttered, getting into the third row of the SUV. Sara and Megan were napping in front of me, and Bobby was riding shotgun again, sipping on grape soda and scoping out zombies to run down.

Bryce got in on the other side and looked at me. “What does she have to do with anything?” he whispered.

Before I could respond, my dad spoke up. “Good thing we’re leaving now, look at what’s heading our way.”

Dozens of the undead were breaking through the cornstalks, making their way toward us.

“The scent of blood must have driven them here,” said Bryce.

I touched my head again and winced at the pain.

“Are you okay?” asked Bryce.

“I’ve been better,” I replied.

“We’ll get you something for the pain at the next stop.”

I didn’t say anything. I just closed my eyes and fell asleep.

26

“How is she?”

My mom turned to me and smiled. “She’s doing very well.”

“Thank God,” I said.

She pointed to Allie. “Come closer, so she knows you’re here.”

I walked slowly toward them but noticed that something was very wrong. “What’s going on?” I asked in horror.

My sister was lying in a pink coffin. She opened her eyes and sat up. “Don’t be scared. I’ve been waiting for you, Cassie.”

“Give your sister a hug,” urged my mother, pushing me toward her.

My heart was pounding in my chest, but I wrapped my arms around the sister I loved so dearly, and held her close.

“It’s good,” whispered my sister. Her breath was cold on my cheek.

“What’s good?” I whispered back.

“Blood. So good.”

A chill ran up my spine. I tried to step away from her, but her grip was like steel.

“Please let me go,” I moaned.

She pushed me away and began to cry. “You don’t love me.”

“I… of course I love you, Allie.”

She covered her hands over her face and sobbed. “We’re sisters. We’re supposed to share everything,” she choked.

“I would give you anything, Allie. I love you so much,” I answered, touching her blond hair.

She removed her hands from her pale, tear-stained face and gave me a chilling smile. “Don’t worry, it’s good,” she said, pulling me into her coffin. “Our blood is good.”

Nodding, I said, “Okay, Allie,”

I lay down and we wrapped our arms around each other. “Now, we’ll be together forever,” she whispered.

***

I opened my eyes and shivered; my dreams were getting so creepy, I preferred being awake and tired.

“How long of a drive is it to Atlanta?” I asked Bryce, who was staring out the window.

He sat up straighter. “Over four hours.”  “You feel any better?”

“A little. How long have I been asleep?”

“Less than an hour,” he replied.

“What in the hell?” barked my dad from the front.

Before I could ask what was wrong, he slammed on the brakes and got out of the SUV. Bryce and I quickly followed suit.

Tiny had gotten out of the van and was shaking his head as he walked toward us.

“Why’d you stop?” asked my dad.

“It’s that girl, Eva,” he said. “She started ranting and raving about wanting to see Bryce. She’s driving us all nuts.”

We all turned to Bryce, who looked dumbfounded. “Hey, don’t look at me. I’m just as surprised as you are.”

“Can you go calm down your girlfriend?” asked Tiny. “Paige is threatening to hit her with the bat, and I don’t really blame her, man.”

“She’s not my girlfriend,” muttered Bryce as he stormed over to the van.

“Do you have room for the little banshee?” asked Tiny.

I chuckled. I already liked Tiny; he was a great judge of character.

My dad sighed. “Yeah, I guess. Cassie,” he said turning to me. “If she rides with us, try and keep your cool with her.”

“I’ll try, but I’m not making any promises,” I said.

“Good enough,” said my dad.

I watched as Eva held onto Bryce’s arm for support as they walked toward us. Eva actually looked a little pale.

“I think her tantrum sucked up the rest of her energy,” mumbled Tiny. “You should’ve heard her.”

“I feel dizzy,” said Eva as she got closer.

“We have some crackers and water in the SUV, Eva,” said my dad.

“Thanks,” she said breathlessly. She turned to Bryce, “Could you help me into the vehicle? I feel a little faint.”

I followed them back to the truck, biting my tongue the entire way. She looked about as frail as Tiny did, but she held onto Bryce like she’d just been run over by a Mack truck. So, she’d gotten a little zombie blood into her mouth, it was better than getting kidnapped, mauled, and blown on your ass by an exploding bomb. It just didn’t seem quite fair.

When we were all settled in again, Eva was in the third row with Bryce and I was in the passenger seat next to my dad. Bobby sat behind me with Megan and Sara, playing a card game.

“Are we all ready now?” asked my dad.

“Just go, dad,” I said.

We took off and my dad put on an Eagles CD. I removed my boot and examined my ankle, which was still a little swollen and bruised.

“This trip is taking forever,” mumbled my dad through clenched teeth. “I just want to get to Atlanta.”

I glanced over at him; he looked so distraught. “I know, dad. Which reminds me, what did mom say when you talked to her at Tiny’s gas station?” I asked.

He tightened his grip on the steering wheel. “Actually, I couldn’t get ahold of her.”

“Did you talk to anyone?” I asked.

He shook his head. “Nobody answered the phone.”

“Maybe the battery died,” I said.

“Maybe,” he said looking at me. “How’s your head doing, honey?”

“I took some ibuprofen a little while ago. My ankle is what’s really giving me problems,” I said raising my foot.

He cringed. “Too bad there’s no more ice.”

“I could sit next to Eva; she’s a pretty cold bitch,” I mumbled.

My dad started laughing and then caught himself. He gave me a stern look. “Cassie,” warned my dad. “Language.”

I hid my smile. “Right.”

I closed my eyes and listened to my dad’s array of classic rock CDs, which eventually bored me to sleep. I was having a really pleasant dream and was just about to perform a roundhouse kick to Eva’s pointy chin, when I was jerked from my sleep by the screech of tires.

“Figures,” I mumbled, trying to open my eyes.

My dad cleared his throat. “Sorry, I wasn’t paying attention. I guess we’re pulling over,” he said.

It was then that I noticed we were at yet another gas station. I watched as Tiny and Kristie got out.

My dad and I looked at each other and said, “Cigarettes.”

Henry also got out of the SUV and started shuffling toward us, followed by Paige.

“I need to get out and stretch my legs,” I said, opening the door.

“Can I ride with you guys?” pleaded Paige.

I smiled. “What’s wrong?”

She shook her head. “Let’s just say mom’s acting like a giggling schoolgirl. If I hear her compliment Tiny on his ‘massive pecs’ one more time, I’m going to hit myself with the zombie bat.”

Henry chuckled. “Women can’t resist the men in my family,” he said, taking out his tin of chew. “It’s true; we give off a pheromone that makes them want to throw themselves at us.”

“Oh, really?” said Paige, trying not to laugh.

Henry nodded. “You may not know it by looking at me, but I’m pretty buff underneath this button-down shirt.”

Kristie screamed from somewhere inside of the gas station and we all took off running toward the sound. Well, I limped as quickly as possible. When we got inside my heart stopped. There were five zombies trying to get to Tiny and Kristie, who were behind the register and in the process of putting their shirts on.

“What the hell, mom?” yelled Paige as she swung her bat, hitting a zombie who looked like one of my old gym teachers, minus the dead stare.

“It’s not what it looks like,” said Kristie, throwing multiple cartons of cigarettes at the hovering zombies.

The rest of the zombies started staggering toward us just as my dad burst through the door with his gun. He shot the last four.

“See?” said Henry, spitting out a big wad of chew. “I told you the women treat us like ‘Boy Toys’ when they smell that pheromone we give off.”

“I smell a load of shit,” whispered Paige, close to my ear.

Kristie shook her head. “No, that’s not it at all. When we walked into the store, someone had rigged a bucket of vinegar in a pail over the entrance. It splashed down on us when we walked in, burning the hell out of my eyes. We were only changing into these shirts when we noticed the zombies.”

Both were indeed wearing T-shirts, although Tiny’s looked two sizes too small.

“I thought it smelled a little fishy in here,” said Henry.

“Who would do something like that?” asked Paige.

Before anyone could answer, we heard the sound of a gun being cocked. “Get the hell out of my station,” snarled a man stepping slowly from the backroom of the store. “You’re all just a bunch of thieves.”

My dad raised his hands. “Look, we were just passing through. No harm done, nothing taken.”

The man was tall and thin, with a shaggy beard. He wore tan overall bibs that were stained with blood.

“Listen, man,” said Tiny. “We just came in to buy some smokes.”

The guy burst out laughing and pointed his gun toward Tiny. “I’ll bet you were going to leave the money on the counter, too.”

“Excuse me,” said Paige in such a sweet voice that I had to do a double-take. “We’re supposed to pick up my Aunt Dolly at her ranch before nightfall. She’s all alone and I think on the verge of losing her sanity with all the zombies around. Can we just pay you for the items and leave?”

Instantly, the man’s demeanor changed. He lowered his rifle. “Um, did you say Dolly? As in Dolly Parton?”

“Oh,” said Paige, covering her mouth. “I’m not supposed to talk about it. Tiny, over there,” she said pointing to the wrestler, “is her new bodyguard, and he said not to say anything to anyone, on account of it’s very dangerous bringing such a well-known celebrity, back with us.”

“Holy shit,” said the man, pointing his rifle down. “Tiny the Tank”?  Well, shit, I didn’t even recognize you until just now. And Dolly Parton? I’m one of her biggest fans. I have all her albums and have been to Dollywood at least a dozen times.”

“We can get you her autograph,” said Paige. “My aunt is one of the sweetest ladies you could ever meet.”

His face lit up and he nodded. “That would be wonderful,” he said. “Listen, you guys just forget about paying for the cigarettes. Get to your aunt and make sure she’s safe.”

We thanked the station owner and walked out of the place.

“Told you smoking isn’t good for your health, mom. You almost got us all shot back there.”

“Do you really know Dolly Parton?” asked Tiny, incredulously.

Kristie’s eyebrows went up. “No.”

“How’d you come up with that?” I asked Paige.

“You didn’t see all the Dolly memorabilia scattered throughout the store?” said Paige. “He’s like, totally obsessed with her.”

“Oh,” said Tiny, still looking confused.

“It’s okay,” Kristie said, grabbing Tiny’s arm, “we can go over it again in the van.”

He smiled sheepishly. “Okay.”

Tiny and Henry got in and shut the door. Kristie looked at me and shook her head. “He’s got the body of Thor, the common sense of Mr. Bean, and the voice of Pee Wee Herman. I think God is punishing me.”

Paige lifted an eyebrow. “You think?”

“I don’t know,” I said. “He seems nice. At least you don’t have Eva manhandling him.”

“Eva?” snorted Paige. “That girl is something else.”

“Yeah, she was being really unreasonable earlier,” said Kristie. “When Bryce rode with you guys, she caused such a scene that I was ready to shoot her myself. But then I was afraid of her coming back, like a zombie.”

“Funny, mom,” snorted Paige.

“The point is, Eva is obsessed with Bryce and it’s starting to get to all of us now,” said Kristie.

“You reap what you sow,” I said.

“That’s just it,” said Kristie. “Bryce didn’t encourage her at all. In fact, you’re all he talks about.”

“Well, my dad said he thought they had something going on.”

She snorted. “Your dad only sees the way Eva flings herself at Bryce. He doesn’t pay attention to Bryce’s response.”

I wasn’t sure what to say about that. Bryce and I weren’t exactly on the friendliest terms, and he was still bending to Eva’s whims.

“Let’s go!” hollered Tiny.

“I’m riding with you this time,” said Paige as she followed me into my dad’s SUV. “Now that mom and Tiny smell like a couple of douchebags.”

27

My dad interrupted our gales of laughter. “Are you girls ready? We should have been to Atlanta yesterday,” mumbled my dad.

We stared toward Atlanta again, this time with us leading. Bobby sat next to my dad and I sat in the very back with Paige.

“Are we going to kill more zombies?” asked Bobby, who seemed to be having the time of his life.

“I’m sure we will, Bobby,” answered my dad. We were on a deserted highway, and although we passed several abandoned vehicles, we hadn’t seen too many zombies so Bobby was starting to get bored.

“Can I drive?” he asked my dad. “I’m a man now.”

My dad looked at him. “A man, huh? Well, I don’t think you can reach the pedals and see out of the windshield. We should wait until you grow a little more.”

Bobby smiled. “Then, I can take out zombies?”

“I hope there aren’t any zombies left by that time. But if there are, you can certainly take out some zombies.”

He nodded. “Okay, ‘cause I love this game.”

“Way to go, dad,” I mumbled from the back.

“I have to go potty,” announced Megan.

“Oh no,” said Sara. “I thought you just went?”

Megan nodded. “But, I have to go again.”

Sara groaned.

“It’s okay,” said my dad. “There’s a rest-stop coming up soon. I’ll signal Tiny to let him know we’re stopping.”

The rest-stop was near a campground and although we noticed some deserted campers, the place was deathly quiet. My dad grabbed a gun and followed Sara, who was also armed, to the women’s bathroom. Bobby tagged along, too.

“I have to get out of here!” shrieked Eva getting out of the van. “I need some fresh air!”

Paige and I watched as Eva stomped toward the bathroom.

“What a bitch,” said Paige. “I wish a zombie would do us all a favor and eat her.”

Although I knew it was wrong, I sometimes felt that way, too.

When my dad came back with Sara and the children, I noticed that Eva hadn’t returned.

“Where’s Eva?” I asked.

“In the van,” said my dad.

“No, she got out of the van and went to the bathroom.”

My dad swore and started walking back toward the restroom. A minute later he came back and settled into the truck.

“Well?” I asked.

He sighed. “She wants to go to the bathroom by herself. She must be on the rag or something, because she literally screamed at me when I asked if she was okay.”

“Wow,” I said. “Did you give her your flashlight?”

He shook his head. “There are skylights, so you don’t need a flashlight during the day.”

“Is there real running water in there?” I asked.

“Yes,” said Megan. “I washed my hands, all by myself.”

I still had blood in my hair and wanted to check out the wound on my head. “I’ll be right back.”

I got out of the van and walked toward the bathroom. My ankle was getting better and I could almost step without limping. When I got to the ladies’ room, I could hear Eva mumbling to herself.

“You okay?” I asked.

“Yes,” snapped Eva. “I’m totally fine. I wish everyone would just leave me alone.”

“Sorry,” I said.

I washed the blood from my hair and dabbed around the cut with a paper towel. It was swollen and bruised, but it didn’t look as bad as I thought.

“Good thing Bryce saved you,” said Eva as she came over and washed her hands.

“Yep,” I answered, trying to sound civil. She was the last person I felt like getting into a conversation with, especially about Bryce.

“I don’t know if he told you yet, but Bryce and I are in love,” she said, completely out of the blue.

I took a deep breath and faced her. “Oh, really?”

“Yes,” she answered.

I smiled tightly. “Well, congratulations. I’m happy for you.”

The smile fell from her face. “Aren’t you pissed?”

I shrugged. “Should I be?”

“I stole him from you. I’d be furious if someone did that to me.”

“What are we, in grade school?” I asked.

“Yes, you’re pissed,” she said with a smug smile on her face.

As I stared at her, I felt a chill go down my spine. Her face was pasty white and the whites of her eyes were almost a pinkish hue. “Are you okay?”

She snorted. “What do you care?”

I shook my head and turned to leave. “You’re amazing.”

“You just wish you were me!” she screeched. She then hit me from behind and I went flying forward, falling to the ground.

“What the hell?” I yelled, getting up to defend myself.

“Bitch!” she screamed, running toward me, again.

Before she could do any more damage, I grabbed her arm and pinned it behind her. “Eva, you’re lucky I don’t knock you out,” I said. “Touch me again, and I will. This is your only warning.”

“Leave me alone! You’re crazy!” she screamed.

I shook my head in amazement and pushed her away from me toward the exit. She turned and gave me one last dirty look, then stepped outside.

I closed my eyes and counted to ten, then walked out of the restroom, prepared for another assault.

“Everything okay?” asked Bryce as I stepped out of the bathroom.

“Holy crap,” I gasped. “Don’t ever sneak up on me again!”

When he smiled, my heart ached.

“Sorry,” he said.

I shrugged.

“Where’s Eva?”

“Closer than I wished.”

His eyes sparkled with amusement. “Still not getting along?”

I snorted. “No, and I’ve tried to be civil to her. She’s just an immature bitch who doesn’t care about anyone but herself. Or you.”

He raised his eyebrows. “Or me?”

“Oh, she had to rub it in about how you two are in love and that she stole you from me,” I said, turning away.

He grabbed my arm firmly. “What are you talking about?”

I raised my chin. “Forget it, Bryce, it doesn’t really matter.”

He grabbed both of my shoulders and pulled me closer. “Listen,” he said steadily, “it does matter. There is absolutely nothing going on between Eva and me. Nothing.”

I looked away. “Well, she would disagree.”

“You just don’t get it, do you? Wild, all I care about is you, damn it! You’re all I think about. Look at me!” he demanded.

When our eyes met, my breath caught in my throat. He swore, then crushed his lips against mine, kissing me so deeply that my head was spinning by the time he pulled away.

“I love you,” he said huskily. “I think I loved you from the very first moment we met.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat. “Really?” I squeaked.

He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me against his chest. “Yes,” he mumbled into my hair. “I love you and I don’t ever want to lose you again.”

“I love you, too,” I answered softly.

A sudden scream tore us apart. It was Eva.

28

Apparently, Eva had never made it to the van because her screams were coming from somewhere in the woods.

“Was that Eva?” asked my dad, racing from his truck. Tiny, Henry, and Kristie quickly followed.

“What’s going on?” asked Tiny. “Is it that irritating redhead, again?”

Bryce nodded. “It sounds like she’s in the woods somewhere,” said Bryce. “Let’s go find her.”

“Cassie, go back to the truck,” ordered my dad.

“No, I’m coming with,” I answered.

“You’re still limping and you don’t have any weapons on you. You’re not much of a match for the zombies right now,” he replied.

I sighed. “Fine.”

Before I could leave, Bryce grabbed me and kissed me again on the lips; this time, right in front of my dad, who appeared too stunned to say anything.

“I love you,” Bryce said softly.

“I love you, too,” I whispered.

Before my dad could respond, we heard Eva screaming again.

“Let’s go,” snapped my dad, tearing off toward the woods.

When I got to the SUV, Paige asked me what the hell happened.

“Oh, Eva went all psycho on me in the bathroom, then she took of somewhere toward the woods. Now she’s screaming her bloody head off.”

Paige shook her head. “She’s probably just trying to get Bryce’s attention, again.”

“Probably,” I said.

“I have to go to the bathroom,” said Bobby.

“I’ll take him,” said Paige. “You should rest your ankle.”

“No, I’ll come with,” I answered, grabbing the Ruger. “You never know, there really might be zombies in the area.”

Paige grabbed her bat and I took Bobby’s hand.

“What are you guys doing?” asked Kristie, coming around the corner.

“Bobby has to use the bathroom,” answered Paige.

“Did you find Eva?” I asked.

“Not yet,” said Kristie, walking away again toward the woods. “We think she’s fooling around. Your dad is ready to leave her behind, he’s so pissed.”

I knew my dad wouldn’t do that, but he had to be reaching his boiling point.

When Bobby was finished, we started walking back toward the truck. I buckled Bobby in and closed the door. As I was about to get in, I saw Eva and she was watching me through the trees. She ducked out of view as soon as our eyes met.

What in the hell is that psycho bitch doing now? I wondered.

“What is it?” asked Paige.

“It’s Eva,” I said. “I’ll be right back. I’m going to drag her back kicking and screaming if I have to.”

“Sounds like fun. Let me do it,” said Paige. “You’re hurt.”

“I’m not that hurt,” I said. “Just go and stay with your sister in the van. She’s probably worried as all hell.”

I walked toward the spot I’d noticed her staring at me and wondered if she was cracking up. She’d always been self-centered and a little flighty, but this was highly bizarre behavior, even for her. Then I thought about Austin and the way he’d changed. Brooke’s scratches somehow infected him with the zombie virus. Eventually, he’d lost his mind and then turned into a zombie after we killed him.

And Eva did get some of his blood into her saliva, I thought.

Was it possible that she was slowly going insane because she now had the zombie virus in her system?

“Over here,” called Eva. “I need help. I twisted my ankle.”

I sighed and followed the sound of her voice through the trees. Of course she was no longer in the same spot when I arrived; still playing games.

“What the hell, Eva?” I yelled. “We don’t have time for this. We have to get to Atlanta! Don’t you care about your mom?”

“Shut up about my mom!” she spat, stepping around a tree. “This isn’t about her, it’s about you.”

Eva looked like an insane nutcase. Her red hair was in total disarray, her eyes were bugging out of her head, and her skin was a dull, grayish-white.

“Are you okay?” I asked, incredulously.

“I’m fine,” she mumbled. “But you won’t be if you don’t leave my boyfriend alone.”

“Eva, just come back to the van, okay? We have to go.”

She shook her head. “No, not until you promise to keep your hands off of Bryce.”

“Okay, I’ve had enough,” I snapped, stepping toward her. Enough was enough. Her ass was coming if I had to drag her by the hair.

“Stay away from me!” she screamed, backing away.

I sighed and raised my hands in the air. “Okay, fine, Eva. I will do whatever you want. Just, please… we have to go. Time is running out.”

She backed away from me. “Don’t tell me what to do.”

Before I could respond, she fell backwards over a large rock and began tumbling away from me. Apparently, we were on an incline and I hadn’t even noticed because she’d pissed me off so much.

“Eva!” I yelled, carefully limping after her. The last thing I needed was to fall and twist the other ankle. The slope became steeper and I had to hold on to several trees to keep from falling down myself. “Hold on, Eva!” I called. “I’m coming!”

She’d stopped tumbling and I could see her lying still about two hundred feet away from me at the bottom of the hill. As I edged closer I noticed the blood.

“Oh, my God!” I cried as I reached her.

Blood was seeping from the back of her head. I set my gun down and carefully lifted her head.

Shit.

It wasn’t good, I almost threw up when I saw all the blood oozing from the deep cut. “Eva,” I said, trying to gently shake her. “Wake up, please!”

She wasn’t moving. I felt for a pulse and found it very faint. She was still alive, but barely hanging on.

“Help!” I screamed. “Help!”

I heard shouts from somewhere above us and breathed a sigh of relief. They knew where we were.

“Don’t worry,” I said, squeezing her hand. “Help is coming.”

Eva’s body began to shake and I moved away from her. When she began to foam at the mouth, I knew that she was definitely having some kind of seizure. Just like Austin’s.

“Hold on, Eva,” I said.

A growl from behind me turned my blood to ice. I quickly whipped my body around and found two giant zombies less than ten feet away, both ready to tear me apart. They looked like a couple of football players in denim bibs with hands so huge, they could easily snap my neck in two.

“Shit,” I said, remembering I’d left my gun on the ground next to Eva.

Baby Huey and Baby Dewey both attacked at once, stumbling toward me as I leaped toward the Ruger. I landed on my stomach and twisted my body around, firing it. I shot the nearest zombie between the eyes but watched in horror as the second zombie leaped on Eva before I could get another shot off.

“Eva!” I screamed, firing the gun into the zombie’s head. He stopped moving and I shuddered in horror as his brains sprayed all over her face.

I crawled over and pushed the zombie off of her.

“Cassie!” hollered my father from the top of the hill. “We’re coming!”

Bryce, Tiny, and my dad began descending the hill and I released a huge sigh of relief. I didn’t have enough energy to drag Eva back up the hill.

I grabbed her wrist to check for a pulse when her eyes slowly opened.

“Eva,” I said. “Just stay still. My dad and Bryce are both coming for you.”

It was then that I noticed she didn’t even have a pulse. She growled at me, her eyes now red with broken blood vessels.

I shuddered and then raised the gun to fire it, but found I was out of bullets.

“Shit!” I hollered, now scrambling to get away from her.

She let out an unholy screech and then grabbed my leg, sinking her teeth deep into my calf.

I screamed in pain and kicked her hard in the face with my boot several times until she finally let go.

“You bitch,” I cried, watching the blood bubble from the wound she’d caused.

She snarled and then her face twisted into an evil smile that left me cold. It was as if she’d known exactly what she was doing when she attacked me.

Bryce reached us first and saw the blood on the back of my leg. He quickly raised the gun and shot her in the head.

“Bryce,” I sobbed as he knelt down and took me into his arms.

“Is she okay?” asked my dad hoarsely.

Bryce let out a ragged breath. “She’s been bit.”

My dad looked at my calf and swore, then began to pace, he was so freaked out.

“I’m okay,” I mumbled, although the area around my wound was beginning to heat up.

My dad came back and kneeled next to me on the ground. “Yes,” he said, trying to smile, although I could see his lips were trembling. He wiped the perspiration from my forehead. “You’re fine, honey. Let’s get you back to the SUV.”

“Please, let me do it,” said Bryce, lifting me into his arms.

My leg felt like it was on fire as he carried me up the hill.

“You okay?” he asked as his eyes filled with tears.

I nodded and stared at his face, trying to memorize every last detail. My eyelids were getting heavy and I knew I was about to lose consciousness.

Was this it?

“Hey,” I said, touching his cheek. “I love you, Bryce.”

“I love you, too,” he choked.

I looked into his deep blue eyes and smiled. “Don’t worry,” I whispered as the darkness began to surround me. “I’ll make it.”

***

End of Book Two

Book Three Now Available!

*Also included in this book *

Hope For A Happy Ending

A Zombie Games

Short

***

“Henry, open the door!” yelled Mary, one of the attendants at the Pine Valley Nursing Home.

“Hold on to your britches!” he answered and then lowered his voice. “Ginny, Barbara Jean, I’m sorry but we’re going to have to finish this game later. I think we’ve been ousted.”

Ginny threw her cards down on the table. “Oh, phooey. I think I may have gotten a royal flush this time, too. All I needed were two more cards.”

Barbara Jean snorted. “You’ve been saying that all day. The only thing you’ve gotten is down to your brassiere and panties.”

“Ain’t nothing wrong with that,” cackled Henry, as he pushed himself away from the table. “You’re still in mighty fine shape for a woman in her sixties.”

Ginny waved her hand, blushing. “Henry, you know I’m eighty-four, you sweet talkin’ devil, you.”

“Yeah, but you’ve got the figure of a fifty-year old, and these days, fifty is the new forty,” he said, picking up her robe from the floor. As he stood back up, he winced. “Oh, I only wish I could say the same thing about me. This back of mine is giving me a lot of trouble lately. I may have to ask one of you to give me a massage once I get rid of Mary.”

“Certainly,” said Ginny, smiling up at Henry, who was still a very handsome man at eighty-nine. He kind of reminded her of Clint Eastwood, always wearing a Stetson and a pair of cowboy boots. Of course, with his tall, lanky body, and full set of teeth, he was definitely the best catch at the nursing home.

Barbara Jean smirked. “I’ve heard about you and those massages, Henry. Nancy James told me all about that ‘happy ending’ you were trying to talk her into the last time your back ‘went out’.”

His watery blue eyes sparkled mischievously. “I don’t rightly recall the ending being happy or what that particularly means, Barbara Jean. Maybe you could explain it later when the two of you return to my room and work out some kinks.”

Barbara Jean rolled her eyes. “Oh, you’re kinky alright.”

“Henry!” hollered Mary, pounding on the door, much more loudly this time. “Open the damn door. This is serious!”

He sighed. “Oh, hell. Well, I can’t believe I’m saying this, but Ginny, you’d better put some clothes on before Mary somehow pushes that chest away from the door and starts going ninja on us. When she gets riled up, she’s a handful, by golly.”

Barbara Jean, who hadn’t yet lost a hand of poker or an article of clothing, stood up and reached for her cane. “Well, I guess this party is definitely over. Perfect timing, I suppose,” she said, looking at her watch. “I think they’re running some old reruns of Matlock on cable later.”

“Oh, I’ll bring the popcorn to your room and we’ll watch it together,” grinned Ginny, zipping up her housecoat.

“You’re on.”

“You girls want to help me move that chest out of the way first?” he asked, walking over to the door. “Before you trade me in for Andy Griffith?”

“Oh, Henry. Andy could never replace you,” said Ginny, eyeing him appraisingly. The man still looked good in Levis. She only wished she would have known him back in the day, when he was still in the rodeo, riding those bulls.

“Speak for yourself,” said Barbara Jean. “Back in the day, nothing beat a bottle of Chardonnay, a Matlock marathon, and my B.O.B.” She sighed. “Boy do I miss those days.”

“What’s that, you say?” asked Henry. “B.O.B?”

Ginny giggled. “She means her battery operated boyfriend.”

His eyebrows shot up.

“Henry! Please!” yelled Mary, her voice frantic.

“Hold tight,” said Henry as he and Ginny began pushing the chest away from the doorway. Unfortunately, the staff had removed the lock on his door after he’d gotten his hand slapped for a few minor escapades, like the naked pillow party he’d inspired the week before, after his grandson’s visit. Tiny had slipped him a bottle of his favorite bourbon. After sharing it with a couple of his friends, both female, they’d all gotten giggly and a little frisky, tossing more than just pillows. Now, the staff made it a habit to check up on him throughout the day. It didn’t stop Henry from doing what he wanted, however. Nothing was going to keep him from enjoying his last days above ground.

Mary burst through the door with a frightened look on her face. She slammed it shut and then motioned toward the oak chest. “Henry, hurry up,” she said. “We’ve got to block this door.”

Henry smiled. “Oh, why didn’t you just say you wanted to join in the fun? Hell, Ginny, take off your robe again. We’ve got us some more hands to play.”

Mary, who was the spitting image of Paula Deen, before she stopped eating fried foods, shook her head vehemently. “This isn’t a time for jokes, Henry. Something is happening. Something horrible!”

“Calm down,” he said, raising his hands in the air. “Or you’re going to hyperventilate, Mary.”

A loud thud on the outside of the door made her cry out. “Oh, my God!” she shrieked. “They’ve gotten to this floor already! Help me hold them off!”

“What in tarnation is going on? Who has gotten in?” he asked as she put her weight against the door.

“Dead people!” she cried.

“It’s a nursing home,” said Henry. “Obviously, some of us are close to death, but that’s what old age does, Mary. It drains us of our youth and leaves us shells of what we used to be. It’s part of life. Now, you of all people should know that. You’ve been working here long enough.”

“No! I mean zombies. Dead people that shouldn’t be walking!”

Ginny’s face turned white. “What?” she asked, covering her mouth. “What are you talking about?”

Another loud thud made them all jump.

“Help me!” pleaded Mary, as the door handle began to jiggle.

Henry rushed over to help as the door shuddered against Mary’s weight. Leaning against it they stared at each other in stunned silence until a low, guttural moan broke it.

“Did… did you hear that?” whispered Barbara Jean.

“What?” asked Ginny.

“Turn up your hearing-aid,” hollered Henry.

Something began snarling loudly outside the door.

“Good going,” said Mary. “They can hear you. They can probably smell you, too.”

Barbara Jean smiled sheepishly. “Sorry. I think I may have peed a little. That last growl caught me off guard. Scared the hell out of me.”

“It’s okay, Barbara Jean,” said Henry. “It happens to the best of us.”

“What are we going to do?” asked Ginny, ringing her hands.

“I know one thing – we can’t let them trap us in this little room. Whoever these people are, they’ll get through eventually. We’ve got to make a run for it.”

“Are there a lot of them?” asked Barbara Jean.

“Yes,” said Mary.

“How did this happen?” asked Henry. “Do you know where they came from?”

Mary shook her head. “No. Some soldiers came to the nursing home earlier and said to keep everyone inside. Said there were some riots going on downtown. That’s the last I heard until a group of crazed, dead people wandered into the entrance and began attacking everyone in sight. Biting, scratching… God, it was horrible.”

“You’re sure they’re dead people?” asked Barbara Jean.

“Sure as we’re still alive.”

“Well, what’s happened to the others? Maggie, Jeff, Betty? All of the other residents?” asked Henry.

“Most of them have been sick with the flu,” she said, blinking back tears. “Oh, Henry… I’m not exactly sure what’s happening. I just ran to your room. To make sure you were okay.”

“Thanks, Mary,” said Henry, squeezing her shoulder. “You’re a mighty good woman.”

The zombie, or whatever it was on the other side of the door, made a crazed screeching noise and began scratching and clawing at the door. This was followed by a growling from a new creature that was apparently now joining in the fun.

“Give me your cane, Barbara Jean,” said Henry.

“Why?”

“Because, as soon as we open this door, I’m going to kill me some zombies,” he said grimly. “Just be prepared.”

She snorted. “Right. You’re going to kill someone.”

“I’m serious. We’ve got to get out of here and it’s the only way. Now, give me your cane.”

Barbara Jean sighed and handed it to him. “Fine. Just don’t break it. It’s my favorite.”

“If I break it, I’ll buy you a new one.”

“You break it, you get me your grandson’s autograph,” she smiled. “Love me a picture of Tiny in his speedos.”

“The wrestler?” asked Ginny.

“The one and only,” she replied.

“I think the zombies are gone,” whispered Mary, listening against the door. “I don’t hear anything.”

“Only one way to find out,” replied Henry. “Open the door.”

Mary’s eyes widened. “I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

“We have to make our escape. There’s no other way.”

She bit her lower lip. “Okay. I’ll go first.”

Henry stared at her in surprise. “You?”

“Obviously. I’m the youngest and the most agile.”

His lips tightened. “I may look older than dirt, but there is no way in hell I’m letting you go first. Just ‘cause I’m living in this place doesn’t mean I’m no longer capable of being man. Now, you open that door so I can get you ladies to safety.”

After a long pause, she relented. “Fine.”

Henry opened the door.

“Oh, my God,” gasped Ginny as they stared in terror at the horrifying scene in front of them. Two mottled, disfigured men were lying on top of another resident, chewing on pieces of what was surely the man’s intestines.

“Is that Ben Smith?” asked Barbara Jean, her voice strangled.

“Looks like it might have been,” mumbled Henry.

The two zombies ignored them and continued to tear into their victim, who stared up at the ceiling, mercifully, with lifeless eyes.

“Let’s go,” said Henry, holding the cane in front of them as they moved away from the gruesome scene.

“Someone’s coming,” whispered Ginny as she pointed down the hallway to something moving in the shadows.

“It’s Lizzy,” sighed Mary in relief.

“It was Lizzy,” mumbled Henry as the woman, now obviously a zombie, shuffled out of the darkness and toward them with a look of glee. Before she could get too close, Henry raised the cane toward her. “You stop, right there.”

Instead of obeying, Lizzy lurched toward him, her hands outstretched. Before she could reach Henry, who was in the front, he hit her in the stomach with the cane.

“That’s not nice, Henry,” said Barbara Jean, stepping around him. “She was a sweet woman.”

“Was, Barbara Jean, was,” sighed Mary.

With a growl, Lizzy lunged at Barbara Jean and they both toppled to the ground.

“No!” screamed Ginny, rushing toward them as Henry and Mary stared in shock. Ginny grabbed Lizzy’s arm, but instead of releasing Barbara Jean, the zombie turned around and bit her on the top of her hand, tearing off a chunk of skin. She made a guttural moan and began chewing, a satisfied grin on her face while Ginny howled in pain.

Henry sprang into action, hitting the dead woman in the head as hard as he could with the cane.

Stunned, the zombie fell to the side.

“Ginny? Are you okay?” he asked, pulling her away from the creature.

“It hurts,” she moaned. “Feels like someone threw acid on my hand.”

Lizzy, who’d obviously recovered, let out a screech and crawled toward Barbara Jean, who was still sobbing hysterically on the floor.

Swearing, Henry raised the cane, hitting the creature on the head several more times, until she finally stopped moving.

“You okay, Barbara Jean?” he asked, pulling her up off the ground.

“Yes,” she replied. “I’m fine.”

Mary grabbed Ginny’s hand and examined it. “This looks bad. God, you poor thing! We’d better find you a bandage and some peroxide.”

Ginny tried to swallow, but found it was difficult. Her entire mouth was dry and her tongue felt thick. “I feel so warm and… I just…”

“Watch out!” screamed Barbara Jean, backing away.

The two other zombies, who’d obviously finished feeding on Ben, were already upon them. Before anyone could react, one of the creatures grabbed Barbara Jean, tearing into her cheek with its teeth while the second reached for Mary, who screamed at the top of her lungs.

“No!” hollered Henry, raising the cane, toward Mary’s attacker. He slammed it into the back of the zombie’s head and it dropped to the floor.

“Oh, no…. Barbara Jean!” gasped Mary.

Henry turned back toward the woman, who was already dead from the glazed look in her eyes. The zombie was greedily attacking her bloody neck with vigor, ripping and tearing at her skin with teeth and fingers.

“Lord… have mercy,” choked Mary, backing away.

Horrified, but sensing that Barbara Jean was beyond help, he grabbed Ginny’s good hand. “Come on, Ginny. We have to get out of here.”

Instead of obeying, she fell to her knees. “I… I have to lie down,” she whispered breathlessly.

“No. Get up! I can’t carry you, woman. Not after that hip replacement last year. You’ve got to get up!”

She shook her head. “It’s okay. You know… I’m just going to take a little nap.”

Tears filled Henry’s eyes. “Mary, you have to help me lift her.”

Mary nodded, but before she could move, two more zombies turned down the hallway and began staggering toward them.

“Forget leaving the building. Let’s get her back into my room,” said Henry.

“Yes, quickly,” agreed Mary.

They pulled Ginny up and grabbed her around the waist, when the other zombie, who was snacking on Barbara Jean, decided to intervene. It grabbed Ginny’s housecoat from behind and bit her on the back of the leg.

“Henry!” she cried out, as the zombie ripped a piece of skin from her leg. Blood gushed out of the wound and she fainted in their arms.

“Damn you to hell,” snarled Henry, glaring at the zombie as they tried pulling Ginny out of its’ reach.

But the zombie wasn’t finished yet. It got on its feet and then lunged toward her, biting Ginny on the back of her neck, its teeth gnashing and tearing at her skin.

Mary screamed in horror and released Ginny, who toppled to the ground.

Henry turned around, raised his boot, and kicked the zombie in the pelvis as hard as he could. The monster fell backwards, but instead of lying still, it quickly crawled toward Ginny, viciously biting and tearing into an exposed thigh.

“Ginny!” cried Henry.

“Watch out, Henry!” gasped Mary as the two other zombies arrived, joining the one on the ground feeding on Ginny.

Henry, horrified and defeated, turned to Mary. “We have to get to Neil’s room. He has a gun. I almost forgot!”

“He does? How in the hell did he hide it?”

“In his guitar case,” said Henry, grabbing her hand. “I’m surprised nobody noticed when there was never any music coming from his room.”

“This is insane,” moaned Mary, taking one last glance at the two older women who’d been alive and playing strip poker less than five minutes ago.

“Try to focus on getting out of here,” mumbled Henry, wiping a tear from his cheek. “Can’t help them now.”

They raced toward the elevator and found that it wasn’t working.

“The electricity must be out in the entire building,” said Mary, pushing the button several times. “I thought it was just a fuse or something.”

“The stairs,” he pointed to the stairwell. “No other choice.”

“At least Neil’s room is on the main floor. Let’s go.”

They went down two flights until they reached the main floor.

“There were several zombies on this floor the last time I checked,” she whispered as they stood outside of the doorway.

“Let’s hope they’ve scattered.”

Fortunately, there weren’t any zombies when they opened the metal door and glanced down the hallway.

“Let’s go,” said Henry, pulling her out of the stairwell.

They snuck down the hallway and rounded the corner, when Mary sucked in her breath. “Zombie.”

“Oh, hell,” sighed Henry, recognizing the man whose gun they were about to borrow. “It’s Neil.”

They watched as Zombie Neil shuffled down the hallway, away from them. When he rounded the other corner, Henry and Mary made a run for it, rushing to his room and slamming the door.

“Dammit,” groaned Henry, limping. “These hips aren’t made for speed anymore, Mary.”

“Are you okay?” she asked, looking concerned.

His eyes twinkled. “Well... nothing a little T.L.C. couldn’t cure. Unfortunately, there’s no time for that. If we make it out of here alive…”

“If we make it out of here alive,” she said. “I’ll massage your hip and even let you cop a feel. This time I won’t even slap your hand away.”

He grinned, remembering the last time he’d tried touching one of her breasts. She’d cussed him out, but there was something in her eyes that told him she’d been a little flattered. Angry, but flattered.

“Oh, you’ve just given me something else to live for, by golly. We’re getting out of this place – you can count on it, Mary. I won’t let you down.”

“Good. Now, let’s find a gun and get the hell out of here. I don’t understand why there hasn’t been anyone out here to help us?”

“It’s the Zombie Apocalypse, Mary. I told you it would happen someday.”

She nodded solemnly. “Yes, you did. As crazy as it sounds, you might not be too far off. I’ve heard rumors…. Anyway, I’ve tried calling nine-one-one, and they aren’t even answering. That right there tells me things are bad all over.”

Henry shuffled over to Neil’s closet and opened it. Finding the guitar case, he pulled it out and set it on the ground. “Well,” he said, opening up the case. “We have a couple things on our side.”

“What?” she asked, kneeling down next to him.

He pulled out the gun. “A loaded rifle,” he said, checking it and nodding. “Some extra bullets… and us still breathing. I call that pretty damn lucky.”

“I never thought I’d be happy to see a gun in a retirement home. But as far as I’m concerned, this is a gift from God.”

He snorted. “Well, I doubt God had anything to do with this, Mary.”

“No, but if you had died and I’d have never known about this gun…”

“Can’t argue with you there. That means I’m the gift, though Mary, not the gun.” He grinned lecherously. “Feel free to unwrap me later, if you’d like.”

She shook her head. “You just never give up, do you?”

His face became serious. “Laughter gives me hope, Mary. If I can still make you laugh, then there’s hope.”

She patted his arm. “I understand. Now, let’s gather some things and then drive to my house.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

She stood up. “Um, Henry?”

“What?”

“You ever fire a gun before?”

He stood up. “Damn tootin’, I’ve fired a gun! Now, my eyes aren’t what they used to be, but I can still shoot.”

“Okay. I just had to ask.”

“Don’t worry. I’ve got you covered. And Mary?”

She looked up into his eyes. “Yes, Henry?”

“I want you to know that I appreciate you coming for me. You risked your life to save mine and I’ll be forever grateful.”

“Of course, Henry. I’d do it again. You and I have become really good friends. There is no way I’d leave you behind.”

“Same goes here. Now, let’s saddle up and get out of Dodge. Something tells me we have a dangerous ride ahead of us, Mary. That what we’ve just seen here is nothing compared to what we’re going to be involved with later.”

“You think it’s worse out there? That it’ll be even more dangerous”

“Damn right I do.”

“Then… why are we leaving?”

“We have no other choice,” he replied, staring off into space. “And, something tells me… we’re needed somewhere else. I don’t know how or why, but I feel it in these old, rickety bones.”

“Oh.”

He turned back to her. “That reminds me – I need to get something for the trip. Something back in my room.”

“It might be too dangerous, going back up there.”

“I need my pills, Mary. You forget, I’m almost ninety.”

Her eyebrows shot up. “What pills? You’re the only one here not on pills.”

“Just some vitamins, to keep me going strong.”

“Well… okay. If they mean that much to you.”

As they walked toward the doorway, she reached into her pocket. “I almost forgot… I took the bus today, but I found someone’s car keys on the ground when I was running to your room.”

He reached for them. “Oh, Cadillac, good going, Mary.”

“I think they’re Lizzy’s,” she said somberly. “That poor woman.”

He nodded. “Well, she certainly won’t be needing them anymore.”

“I know.”

As they stood next to each other by the doorway, he turned to her and cleared his throat. “It’s just us now, Mary. I can’t promise you we’ll make it out of here alive, but I can promise that I’ll fight tooth and nail to keep you as safe as an old cowboy like me can.”

She smiled. “I know, Henry.”

“Do you believe in happy endings, Mary?”

“I’d like to think so.”

“Happy endings come in many shapes and forms. If I die tomorrow, the fact that you came to my room when all of this was happening, that for me isn’t just a happy ending, it’s a chance for me to pay you back.”

“Oh, Henry… you don’t need to pay me back.”

“Believe me, Mary. There isn’t anyone who can give you a happier ending like old Henry can.”

She stared at the shit-eating grin on his face and smiled in disbelief. “You are one sick individual, Henry. Nancy James told me all about your happy endings.”

He winked. “I made you smile, though, didn’t I?”

“Yes, you certainly did.”

“Like I said before, smiles mean hope, Mary. It keeps us all going.”

She touched his cheek. “That it does, Henry. That it does.”

****

The End

Dead Endz

1

John Doe?

His head hurt.

A lot.

He opened his eyes and stared blankly at the gravel in front of his face. Clenching his teeth against the throbbing pain, he sat up and brushed away the tiny pebbles of sand from his cheek.

Where the hell am I?

It wasn’t every day that he woke up in an alley, sprawled out in the dirt. Nothing looked familiar and the silence was deafening. It was eerie how quiet it was; there weren’t any sounds from traffic, no hums from any of the nearby air conditioning units, not even a single bird chirping from the trees. He felt like he was in an old black and white episode of the Twilight Zone.

He looked around, relieved to be alone in such a state of mind. Scratch that – there was a crow picking at a headless body nearby, and three zombies, about fifty feet away, staggering toward him.

What the fuck?!

He stumbled to his feet, watching incredulously as the figures, along with their pungent smell, edged closer.

So maybe he’d lost his freakin’ mind?

His mind was foggy; in fact, he couldn’t remember anything – not why he’d been unconscious, why a headless man was lying next to him, why dead people were walking above ground. Most importantly, he couldn’t even remember who the hell he was. From the pain in his head, he’d obviously been hit in the melon and it was making him forget all of the important details.

The nasty stench drifted closer – a mixture of rotten eggs and fresh dog shit. Yes, he could definitely smell, which meant he wasn’t dreaming, and from the look of things, kind of screwed.

One of the zombies moaned its excitement and it sent a chill up his spine. The damn thing was staring at him as if he was a succulent piece of Kobe steak, served extra-rare.

He grunted.

I don’t think so, buddy.

As the distance between them closed, its face twisted into a sickly grin. From the hungry stares of all three zombies, and their outstretched arms, they definitely wanted more than a hug.

He shook his head and smiled humorlessly. The walking fucking dead…

Well, the two men and one female were beyond dead with their rotted flesh, missing appendages, grayish skin, and bloodshot eyes. But their hunger was alive and obviously not sated.

Sighing, he looked around for something to defend himself with. What he found was nothing short of a miracle – an ax, leaning up against one of the garage doors. He walked over, picked it up, and moved toward the zombies.

***

Twenty minutes later, he was taking a cold shower in an abandoned house. The electricity wasn’t working, but fortunately, the water was. After locking the doors and locating a few toiletries, along with some clothing, he began washing the bloody grime from his body.

Cold showers sucked but it was better than nothing.

He closed his eyes as the icy water sprayed over his face, sighing as brief flashes of images popped into his head. One in particular was starting to really piss him off. Some soldier, a blond guy with a cocky grin who’d threatened someone close to him. Someone named… Tex?

His mind went blank again and he smacked the shower wall in frustration. He was so close to something just dangling at the edge of his brain – something about Atlanta. He knew with certainty that it was vital he get to Atlanta.

Was he in Atlanta?

He had no idea which city or state he was in. He’d have to look around the house for bills or other clues.

He finished the shower, wrapped a towel around his waist, and then located some acetaminophen in the medicine cabinet. When his headache became manageable, he dressed in the faded Levis and a T-shirt he’d located in one of the man’s chests. Fortunately, they fit, although the shirt, which had a pair of owl eyes and announced, “I Love Hooters,” was a little snug.

He smiled and shook his head. He might not remember exactly who he was, but he certainly remembered eating wings at that particular restaurant.

Thinking of buffalo wings, his stomach began to growl, so he headed down to the kitchen where he found a single can of ravioli. He washed the meal down with a warm bottle of beer he’d found in the fridge and belched his approval. Then he grabbed the ax and went into the garage, where he located another lifeline. Someone appeared to be looking out for him.

“Nice,” he said with a nod, admiring the black Harley V-Rod the homeowner had abandoned, a key on the ground next to it. It was in excellent shape and had obviously been someone’s pride and joy. Now it was his ride to Atlanta, and hopefully, to some answers. Amazingly enough, even with his memory loss, he was quite confident of his riding abilities; he definitely knew bikes.

Fifteen minutes later, after locating a map, he got on the motorcycle and headed toward his destination, which luckily, was only an hour away.

2

Paige

For what had to be the hundredth time in just that hour, Paige held back from using her bat. Her mom and Tiny were doing the kissy-face thing again, and it was driving her completely insane.

You’d think they were a couple of teenagers who couldn’t keep their hands off of each other, she grumbled inwardly.

The good thing, however, was that Tiny had kept her mom from smoking any more of her beloved cancer sticks.

“Smoking is bad for you,” he’d scolded her mom playfully when she’d asked him to locate more cigarettes after finally running out.

“Oh, I think you’re bad for me, too,” her mother had replied with a pouty face.

“Baby, I’m bad, but I guarantee I taste better than a cigarette,” he chuckled.

“Okay… okay… okay…” Paige snapped, interrupting their banter. “Remember we are still back here, and there aren’t any puke bags in this vehicle. Either you two find an abandoned motel room, or quit with the disgusting innuendos.”

Kristie turned around and frowned at her oldest daughter. “Paige, seriously? We’re just having some fun. You really have to lighten up, honey.”

“Lighten up? All of our friends are still MISSING. They could be lying dead in a ditch somewhere, for all we know. And you two don’t even seem concerned in the least.”

It had happened soon after a devastated Bryce had carried Cassie back to the other SUV. Apparently she’d lost consciousness after being bitten by Eva, who’d turned into the Zombie Bitch from Hell. What was even worse was that Paige didn’t get the chance to take that final swing. She was cheated out of killing the only zombie that Paige would have given her right arm to destroy. Such irony, and it was still eating away at her conscience.

The attack on Bryce had occurred when they’d placed Cassie in the back of the SUV. A big, black Dodge pickup truck had pulled up behind Dave’s, and before anyone knew what was happening, there’d been guns pulled. As soon as the first shots were fired, Tiny had taken off like a bat out of Hell. Unfortunately, Dave’s SUV hadn’t followed as they’d expected. When Tiny had finally turned back around to see if Dave and Bryce needed any help, everyone was missing.

“Hey, we are worried,” said Tiny, tightening his hands on the wheel. “In fact, I feel like a total shit that I left those guys so quickly. It’s just that I didn’t want anything happening to you girls. And you too, gramps.”

Wanting to comfort her daughter, Kristie reached back, squeezing her lightly on the shoulder. “I know you’re scared, but you have to remember, they’re a tough group of people. In my heart I truly believe that we’ve just been separated for a little while. Before you know it, we’ll be in Atlanta and you’ll realize that everyone is doing just fine. Have some faith, sweetheart.”

Paige turned away and looked out the window, trying not to cry. “I hope you’re right,” she said.

“Your mom is right,” said Tiny. “And we should be in Georgia soon anyway, so you can see it for yourself.”

Paige straightened up. “About that – Tiny, you keep repeating how we’ll be in Georgia every so often, and yet, we’re still not seeing any road signs confirming it. You’re not lost, are you?”

Henry, who’d been sleeping up until that point, cleared his throat and chuckled. “Of course he isn’t lost. He’s traveled the country and has probably been to Georgia a dozen times; right, boy?”

Tiny, who was a pro wrestler and would have probably pounded anyone else in the face that referred to him as “boy”, only nodded back toward old Henry. “Uh, yeah, gramps. I’ve been to Atlanta quite a few times.”

“And you’ve actually driven there?” asked Paige, crossing her arms under her chest.

“Well,” he answered in his high-pitched voice – one that sounded more like Michael Jackson and nothing like the Herculean giant driving the van. “I’ve flown, mostly, but it can’t be that hard when you follow the road signs.”

And that was the problem. The last road sign indicating Georgia that Paige could even remember had been a couple of hours ago, and yet they still hadn’t reached the state. Apparently, Tiny hadn’t thought that was odd.

“Hon… did you take a wrong turn or something?” asked Kristie as they entered the small town of Deer Ridge.

Paige felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up as they slowed down. Deer Ridge appeared to be nothing more than another zombie wasteland on the outside, but she sensed there was something even more sinister to it. In fact, it was almost like driving through an old ghost town where tumbleweeds rolled by and eyes peeked at you from behind dark windows. Right now she’d bet anything the undead were stumbling around somewhere, maybe on the verge of an attack.

Tiny snorted.  “Wrong turn? I don’t think so.”

“We could really use a new map,” said Paige. “Then we’d know for sure.”

The last time he filled the tank, he’d lost the old one by swatting a fly with it and absently tossing it away somewhere.

“Yeah, good idea. Let’s fill up at the next gas station and grab one,” replied Kristie.

“Just be on the lookout for thieves,” said Henry. “They’re going to be crawling out of the woodwork now, by golly.”

“By the way, Henry,” said Kristie. “How’s your back? You gonna make it?”

About an hour ago, they’d pulled over to the side of the road so the guys could relieve themselves. Henry had stumbled backwards over a rock and complained about his back hurting.

He shook his head. “It’s a little tender but I tell you what… this stallion isn’t ready for the glue factory just yet. I’ve got a lot of ride left in me.”

Kristie smiled politely. “I’m sure you do, Henry.”

With a gleam in his eyes, he added, “You want to brush off my saddle, purdy lady, you just give the word.”

Paige groaned. She liked Henry, but they’d been driving together for hours and hours and he really needed to shut the hell up about his riding skills.

“Oh, grandpa,” chuckled Tiny.

“Henry,” said Paige, “I think you need to forget about your saddle and help us figure out where the heck we are.”

“We’re definitely lost, that’s where we are,” he said, pulling out his tin of chew. “It ain’t rocket science, honey.”

“You really think we’re lost?” asked Kristie, looking concerned.

Tiny didn’t answer this time and Paige wanted to scream.

3

Kris

Kris sat across from the doctor, whose face became a blur after his impartial speech. She brushed the tears from her face and shook her head. “I just don’t understand. I mean, you told me that she was getting better. She even regained consciousness a few times.”

He handed her a tissue. “I know this is hard.”

“I want to see her,” she demanded.

“I’m sorry, we can’t allow that. She’s been quarantined and we’ll be doing an autopsy. Listen, I understand your grief, I have lost most of my family, too. It’s tragic; horrible. But you have to remain strong for the rest of your family.”

His eyes were flat and showed no real signs of compassion. It was hard to believe he’d lost anybody.

“No, I want to see my daughter!” she cried, her voice getting shrill. “You told me she was getting better! And I’ve been at her side continuously until this morning when you took her away from me. I’ve been exposed to the damn virus from day one, so as you can see, Doctor, it doesn’t matter if I go near her again!”

As if on cue, two young soldiers stepped into the room. “Everything okay, Doctor Hill?”

She ignored the soldiers but pleaded in a much softer voice, “Doctor, let me see my baby. Please?”

The doctor sighed. “I’m very sorry for your loss. If there was anything else I could do, I’d do it. Unfortunately, the government is making these calls and my hands are tied.”

It was obvious that he wasn’t really on her side, and it made her furious.

The gloves were coming off.

She was tired of the bullshit.

Kris stood up and leaned over his desk, getting right in his face. “Okay, fine, I want to talk to whoever is making ‘the calls’, Doctor! I demand to talk to your superiors. Right now, dammit!”

The taller soldier took a step toward her but Doctor Hill raised his hand, halting him.

“It’s… its fine,” he said and then turned back to Kris. “Please sit down. This isn’t necessary.”

She moved back, but didn’t sit down. “Well?” she asked tightly, trying to keep her composure.

Doctor Hill rubbed a hand over his face and then finally nodded. “I’ll see what I can do, Mrs. Wild. I can’t guarantee anything, but I’ll try. For now, why don’t you try and get some rest?”

She snorted. “Rest? I’ve rested quite enough. If I can’t see my daughter right this minute, then I want to try and call my husband again,” she said. “Can you please find me a cell phone to use?”

He stood up and grabbed the paperwork from his desk. “I’ll see what I can do,” he said without looking at her.

His favorite line, she thought bitterly. He wasn’t very efficient in anything he’d promised, and now he claimed her youngest had died from the zombie virus. But it didn’t make sense, and something in her gut was convinced he was deceiving her. He had to be lying. She’d have a nervous breakdown if it were really true.

The two soldiers chaperoned her back to her room, which she’d been sharing with a couple other survivors. They were staying in a hospital where the remaining scientists from the CDC, the ones who hadn’t taken the vaccine, curiously enough, had set up a new research lab. The zombies had overrun the old facility so they’d all been transferred to the hospital. There were over one hundred survivors and almost fifty soldiers helping to secure the site.

“What happened?” asked Carly, who was alone in the room, reading a book. She was another survivor who’d wandered into the hospital alone and frightened just two days before. Her entire family had been killed and she’d almost been raped by a band of marauders. The young woman was in her twenties and certainly had a strong will to survive. In fact, she reminded Kris a lot of her oldest daughter, Cassie.

Kris sat down on her cot and put her head in her hands. “They told me that Allie is dead. But I don’t believe it. Carly, she just can’t be!”

Carly’s jaw dropped. “They actually told you she died?”

Kris looked up at her, fresh tears glistened her eyes. “Yes,” she choked. “They said Allie… my baby… died!”

“Oh, Kris,” said Carly, kneeling down next to her, “I’m so sorry. This doesn’t make sense, though. They… are they trying to pull some kind of bullshit? You told me she was getting better.”

She wiped her tears. “Well, I really think they’re lying. It just doesn’t make sense to me, either. Yesterday morning Allie had opened her eyes and she’d recognized me! Even smiled before she fell back to sleep. Then, last night she squeezed my hand and her face looked so much healthier, it was like a miracle. Now, they tell me that she’d died in her sleep, and yet, they won’t even let me see her!”

Carly’s face darkened. “That seriously sounds like a crock of shit. They really won’t let you see her?”

Kris stood up and began pacing. “I demanded they let me see her, and Dr. Hill refused, saying it wasn’t his call. I don’t know what else to do, dammit!”

“Have you spoken to your husband?”

She shook her head. “No, I can’t get ahold of him. His cell phone must have died. At least that’s what I’m hoping and it isn’t something else.”

Carly’s lips tightened. “If they are refusing to let you see her, then you have to take matters into your own hands. Shoot, I’ll even help you.”

Kris stared at her. “Really?”

She nodded. “Of course. Let’s start right now by sneaking into her room.”

Kris sighed. “If it were only that easy, she isn’t there. They’ve moved her.”

Carly bit the side of her lip. “What about the research lab? I hate to even say this, but maybe they’re experimenting on her?”

She clenched her jaw. “They’d better not be, or I’ll kill every last one of them. I swear to God…”

***

They needed a plan, and by the end of the day, they had one. Carly, with her voluptuous curves, blond hair, and bright blue eyes, had gotten the attention of one of the soldiers. It was obvious he liked her, and she was going to use her all of her feminine wiles to help locate Allie.

“So, I’m going to talk him into giving me a tour of this place. He’s been trying to get me alone and I’m going to give him the opportunity this time, so we can find your daughter.”

“Oh, Carly, you don’t have to go that extreme. It just wouldn’t be right,” said Kris.

She smiled. “I’m not going to jump in the sack with the guy. I’m just going to sweet-talk him into giving me a private tour. I might let him kiss me, cop a feel, but nothing more. Don’t worry,” she said, shaking Kris’s shoulders playfully. “I know what I’m doing. I’m a grown woman.”

Kris sighed. “Just be careful.”

“If I can help you find your daughter, it’s worth being a little friendly to one of the soldiers. You’ve been so kind to me, and I want to return the favor. I mean, the fact that they’re keeping your daughter from you – actually lying to your face – is really pissing me off.”

She nodded. “It’s infuriating, isn’t it?”

“Damn right it is! But don’t you worry, hon; we’ll find Allie and then get the hell out of here. I’m not going to sit around and let them do this shit to you.”

Kris’s eyes filled with tears again. “I don’t know what to say, you’re amazing.”

She smiled and then looked over Kris’s head toward the door. “Showtime – here comes stud-muffin,” she said under her breath.

Kris turned around and sure enough, Lieutenant Michael Smith stood just outside of the door, his eyes lighting up the moment he saw Carly.

Carly flipped her long blond curls and batted her eyelashes. “Well hello there, Lieutenant. Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes?”

He grinned. “Now, I told you to just call me Mike,” he said, swaggering into the room. He was younger than Carly, maybe early twenties. From the love-struck look in his blue eyes, he was already putty in her hands.

“Can I talk to you for a minute, Mike? Alone?” asked Carly, walking toward him, her hips swaying seductively.

“Of course.”

She looped her arm through his and guided him out of the room. “Your forearms are so large and firm. Do you work out?”

Kris chuckled and then sprawled out on top of her cot. She closed her eyes, and as usual, her thoughts went to her family. She missed them terribly and prayed silently they were all safe. It had been almost a week since she’d spoken to Dave, and even longer to Cassie. The last she’d heard, Cassie had escaped the clutches of the soldier, Austin, from Texas, who she herself had actually saved the night the zombies showed up. She’d been very upset with the news, but Dave had assured her that Cassie was doing well and that they were all on their way to Atlanta. But that was a while ago and they had yet to arrive. Now that Allie had been moved to a different facility, the chance of them meeting up seemed to be getting slimmer every day. She tried not to think about that and concentrated on rescuing Allie.

4

John Doe?

He made it to Atlanta in record time. The motorcycle had been a good choice when it came to weaving through the crowds of zombies and the countless abandoned cars. The problem was that he didn’t know where to start once he crossed into the city, so he decided to wing it. He’d drive until it felt right to stop.

He found many of the tourist attractions in Atlanta right away, including a very popular one, the Georgia Aquarium, but unfortunately, it did nothing for him. There was no pull, nothing. It was, however, crawling with zombies who were a little too excited about his arrival. He kicked it down as they approached the bike and drove further, until he was in an area of the city that appeared to have less walking dead traffic. As he began to relax, he noticed an abandoned mini mall in the middle of nowhere that looked inviting. He was thirsty and needed something to keep him going. It seemed to be less volatile than most other places he’d driven past.

He parked the bike off to the side of the building and grabbed his ax. He then headed toward a small health food store in the center of the mall that caught his eye. As he walked into the entrance, he stepped over a couple of dead zombies that appeared to have been shot in the head. He tightened his grip on the ax and made a mental note to start looking for a gun, too.

It was quiet and appeared to be void of people, living or dead. Fortunately, there was also plenty of nonperishable food. He grabbed a canvas bag and started filling it with protein bars, energy drinks, and water. As it started to get heavier, he thought about trading in his motorcycle for a truck or SUV. He could carry more and have a place to sleep, if needed. The question was gasoline; could he still acquire it, and how long would that last?

He clenched his jaw as his head started to throb again. He then sat down behind the store’s counter and took more acetaminophen, hoping the pain would subside quickly so he could get moving again. As he began to feel better, more images of unknown people flashed through his mind; this time of two men aiming guns at him and shouting furiously. Quickly, the images faded and he couldn’t recall anything more.

The memory lapse was really starting to piss him off.

He grunted and then stood up, stretching his arms. It was definitely time to move on.

He grabbed his bag of supplies and headed for the exit, halting in his tracks when he noticed the van in the parking lot.

Shit.

He ducked down as a man got out – a man who was built like a brick shithouse. Something about him looked vaguely familiar, but also very dangerous, so he decided not to approach. Especially after his recent memories of being shot at.

He could hear laughter coming from somewhere in the van. He crawled closer to one of the store’s broken windows and watched as the man walked around to the passenger window and kissed a woman with long, dark hair. She smiled and pointed toward the store next to his, which was a tobacco shop. Something about her also niggled at his brain, but he just couldn’t place it. It didn’t matter, though; after what he’d been through, he wasn’t about to approach them, especially with the Incredible Hulk holding such a large, powerful rifle.

“Aw… thanks, hon!” called the woman as the large man stalked toward the tobacco store.

He ducked down so the big mug wouldn’t spot him, thankful that he’d hidden the motorcycle in a fairly inconspicuous spot. He watched and waited until the man returned empty-handed, which produced an immediate scowl on the woman’s face.

“It’s a sign,” echoed the man’s voice in the parking lot. It was high and unusual for such a muscle-bound guy. “Someone else ransacked the place… no smokes left, babe. No cigars or chew either; sorry, gramps,” he motioned to someone else in the back of the van. “You should both quit smoking anyway. You’ll live longer.”

The woman snorted. “Hell, I don’t think I’ll survive another day if I don’t get my hands on a cigarette. Damn thieves.”

His lips curled up at the woman’s logic, considering her boyfriend probably wouldn’t have left any money on the counter for her smokes either.

“What about the store next to it?” she asked, pointing.

Her “hon” shook his head. “Are you kidding me? That’s a health food place. Everything in there is natural and good for you.”

“Natural, huh? Maybe they have those clove cigarettes? Aren’t those supposed to be better for you? All natural?”

The man burst out laughing and then got back into the van. A minute later they were peeling out of the parking lot.

“Wow, do you know who that was?” blurted an excited voice behind him.

He dropped the bag of food and whipped around to find a teenaged boy staring at him. The boy’s face turned white when he noticed his firm grip on the ax and he took a step backwards.

He lowered the weapon. “You scared the shit out of me, kid. Don’t ever sneak up on someone like that again. It’s dangerous.”

“Sorry,” he replied. “I saw you, and then I saw Tiny. It freaked me out to see a real live celebrity in the parking lot.”

He stared at the tall, lanky boy who couldn’t have been more than thirteen or fourteen. His red hair was messy and his face was streaked with something resembling dirt.

“Who’s Tiny?” he asked the boy.

The kid stared at his “I Love Hooters!” T-shirt and grinned, his mouth full of metal. “Far out, dude, love the shirt!”

He didn’t respond.

“Yeah… um… Tiny’s a famous wrestler. Everyone knows Tiny.”

Seriously? Tiny?

He bent down and picked up his supplies from the floor. “You all alone?”

The boy looked away. “My parents… they’re…”

“Gone, huh?”

The kid’s lower lip trembled slightly and it took him a while before he could answer. “Yeah.”

Something tugged at his heartstrings and he sighed. “Well, you’re welcome to tag along with me, if you want, that is. I’ve been thinking about trading in my motorcycle for something bigger anyway.”

The boy’s green eyes lit up. “You have a motorcycle?”

He smiled at the kid’s excitement. “I do at the moment.”

“Sweet. I was getting tired of this place anyway.”

He nodded. “It’s too dangerous for a kid like you to be alone anyway.”

“I’m Luke, by the way,” said the boy, holding out his pale hand.

He shook it. “Nice to meet you, Luke.”

Luke tilted his head and smiled. “And you are…?”

He let out a ragged breath. “The hell if I know, kid.”

5

Paige

Their bad luck started shortly after they arrived at “Fred’s Gas and Go” in Deer Ridge. The station had appeared promising from the outside, but on the inside, it had been ransacked. No food or beverages, no first-aid supplies, and definitely not any kind of tobacco products. The one thing left were maps. Nobody cared enough to steal them.

Apparently most people have enough common sense to understand things like road signs, thought Paige. Everyone but Tiny; the dumbass.

Henry was the first one back inside the van with the news. He sat down, then opened his empty can of chew and grimaced. “No cigars and no tobaccy; the world has truly gone to pot.”

Kylie, who was still groggy from sleeping, lifted her head from the seat. “The world is on pot? But that’s against the law!”

Paige turned to her and rolled her eyes. “No, he means the world sucks, worse than ever.”

Kylie bit the side of her lip. “Oh.”

Henry shook his head. “We need to get to Atlanta before my blood pressure settles. I’m sure we’ll find something there. Tobacco’s the only thing keeping me on my toes, by golly.”

Paige raised her eyebrows. “What kind of logic is that? High blood pressure can kill you, Henry.”

Henry shrugged. “At least I’ll go out with a spring in my step, little lady. When you get to be my age, you use whatever you can to keep your ticker pumping.”

“Even when it’s too fast?”

He nodded. “You’re damn tootin’.”

Paige didn’t feel like arguing, so she just dropped it.

“Where’s mom and Tiny?” asked Kylie, stretching her arms.

Henry cackled and said, “Why I believe they’re finding other ways to keep the heart pumping.”

Paige groaned. “Seriously, Henry…”

“See,” said Henry, motioning outside. “They’re getting their exercise.”

Tiny and Kristie were running toward the SUV followed by a mob of zombies. She was screaming bloody murder, although Tiny looked more excited than anything.

“Jesus, let’s get the hell out of this town,” hollered Kristie as she slammed the door. She was out of breath and her hands were shaking.

Tiny got in. “Did you see that? I haven’t had that kind of rush since my last cage match in Chicago. That was intense!”

Paige snorted. “Like your cage matches are anything compared to this crap.”

“Even though you know it’s staged,” he said, his eyes shining, “you can’t help but feel the adrenaline rush, man. I’m going to really miss wrestling.”

The zombies surrounded the van, and Kylie began to whimper as even more staggered toward them from other parts of town. Soon, hundreds of disfigured undead crowded the truck, some even crawling onto the hood, slobbering all over it.

“It’s okay, baby,” said Kristie, reaching back toward her youngest. “Tiny’s going to get us out of here.”

“Jesus,” scowled Henry, looking sick. “I never thought I’d live to say this, but Tiny, put the pedal to the metal and get me away from those knockers!”

A naked female zombie was pressed up against his window, her fleshy breasts now a cesspool of squirming maggots and oozing sores. She began licking the glass with her blackened tongue and even Henry shuddered at the horrifying sight.

“I think she likes you, Henry,” chuckled Kristie.

“Jesus, woman – even my standards are higher than that,” he said gruffly. “That one’s not even breathing.”

Paige smiled. “But look at the longing in her eyes. I think you’re going to break her black heart.”

“Better than her eating mine!” he snapped.

The zombies were beginning to slap and hit the glass so loud, it sounded close to breaking.

“Okay, enough gawking at the animals,” said Paige. “Get us out of here, Tiny.”

“Ready, babe?” he asked Kristie, rubbing her knee.

She nodded. “Oh, yeah. Let’s move before they figure out a way in and ol’ here Henry gets molested.”

“Mom, that’s so not funny,” said Kylie, crossing her arms under her chest. “This is a very serious situation.”

“Sorry, sweetie,” she answered, trying to keep a straight face.

Tiny put it in drive and floored it, knocking several zombies down, many of them catching under the tires. The sounds of bones crunching and groans from the zombies shut everyone up, and it wasn’t until they were well past the mob that everyone began to breathe normally again.

Kristie studied the map they’d grabbed and directed Tiny so they made it to Atlanta within forty-five minutes. On the way to the CDC, she hollered at him to stop at a small mini mall.

“Tobacco Shop,” she pointed with a triumphant smile.

“Oh, for heaven’s sake,” groaned Paige. “Enough with the nic-fit, mom.”

“Quit being so sassy, Blondie,” piped in Henry. “Tiny, you just pull into that parking lot and make this woman of yours happy.”

Tiny nodded.

“Oh, and get me a tin of chew while you’re in there, son. And if they have cigars, I prefer them Montecriscos.”

“You mean Montecristos?” asked Tiny.

“Yeah. Whatever.”

“I’ll see what they have,” said Tiny.

“I knew you had an agenda,” said Paige.

“Don’t talk back to your elders, kid,” answered Henry.

When Tiny returned without anything, both her mother and Henry became very surly.

“Come on, babe,” said Tiny, grabbing Kristie’s hand. “You told me earlier that you’d stopped smoking for a couple of years. You can handle this.”

Kristie scowled. “That was pre-zombies. Now I’ve found that smoking is the only way I can manage my Z.S.S.”

“Z.S.S.?” he asked.

“Her Zombie Stress Syndrome,” muttered Paige.

“Jesus Christ, I think I have that, too!” hollered Henry, sitting up straighter. “I knew there had to be a name for it.”

“For the love of God, we’re wasting time!” cried Paige. “Forget Z.S.S and B.S.S. and let’s do what we came here to do; find our friends! They might need our help. Heck, they could be dead for all we know, while we’re tooling around town on the hunt for tobacco!”

The van was completely silent after Paige’s outburst. Nobody said a word, not even Henry.

After a few minutes, Kristie cleared her throat, then grabbed the map and started charting a course to the CDC, which fortunately, wasn’t very far. When they arrived, Paige’s heart took a plunge; the place looked utterly abandoned.

“What now?” groaned Paige.

The large glass building, which had always seemed impressive on CNN, looked very dismal now. Windows were broken, trash blew across the once-manicured lawns, and zombies stumbled in an out of the entrance. It was a scene out of a horror movie.

“Don’t worry, Paige. We certainly didn’t come all this way for nothing,” said Kristie. “We’ll just sit here for a while and wait for something to happen. I have a feeling Dave will be showing up soon, or who knows, maybe someone else who might know what’s happening.”

Tiny nodded. “Or, I could go in and look around if you want.”

Kristie smiled. “Aw… you’re such a sweetie,” she said, grabbing his scruffy chin and kissing his lips.

His face was solemn. “Hey, they’re your friends, and without them, we may have never met. I owe these guys for bringing you into my life, babe.”

Kristie’s eyes filled with tears. She touched his arm. “You know, your heart is as big as your biceps.”

He flexed. “You get my blood pumping in many places, mama. Just like I told you before, though, it’s destiny. We were meant to be together. And now that I’ve found you, I will never let you go.”

Ugh, thought Paige as her mom threw her arms around Tiny and smothered him with kisses. They’ve only known each other for a few days and now they’re like, what – soul mates?

Henry grunted. “I’m truly happy for you both. Now someone better get their ass inside and look around before I grow a tail and can’t make it to the shitter. If you haven’t noticed, there isn’t a public restroom anywhere close.”

“Don’t worry, gramps. Well get you to a toilet,” said Tiny.

“You have about an hour before my intestines force one out. It’s clockwork with me, by golly.”

Paige shuddered. “I can’t believe I’m actually listening to this.”

Henry’s eyes narrowed. “When you’re my age you’ll appreciate a healthy dump, young lady. Once, I was backed up for two weeks…”

“Okay,” said Paige, holding up her hands. “Sorry, now can we change the subject?”

Henry mumbled something under his breath and then looked out the window.

“Let’s just wait until the zombies spread out a little more,” said Tiny. “It will be much easier.”

They waited awhile and watched as the zombies wandered aimlessly around the building without even so much as a glance in their direction. When the undead seemed somewhat manageable near the entrance, Tiny decided it was time for him to go in and investigate.

“I’m coming with,” said Kristie, grabbing her gun from the glove compartment.

He shook his head. “It’s too dangerous, hon. Just let me go and you stay back to protect the girls. I’ll take Henry.”

Kristie shook her head. “Not a good idea. You’ve never met Kris, you won’t recognize her. Plus, you’re kind of intimidating for someone who has never actually met you.”

“Yeah, she’ll think your some biker dude wanting to start trouble,” said Paige.

“Doesn’t anyone watch pro wrestling anymore?” asked Tiny incredulously. “I’m one of the heroes; the good guys. I thought everyone knew me?”

“She runs a daycare. The only television shows she’s familiar with is Elmo or the Teletubbies,” said Paige.

Henry sighed. “I hate to say this, but maybe Kristie should go in with you and I’ll stay back to watch the girls. My back is pretty sore and I probably won’t be much help bent over and staring at the ground.”

“See, you do need me. I’m coming with,” said Kristie.

“Why don’t I just go with him?” asked Paige. “I can hold my own.”

Kristie turned and looked at her. “No way am I placing you in any more danger than I have to, not while I’m still alive. Besides, you need to keep Kylie calm. You also know what Kris looks like, so if you see her outside, you can get her attention. Obviously, Henry has never met her.”

Paige bit the side of her lip. “Oh, fine. Just be careful, mom.”

Kristie raised her gun and smiled. “Don’t worry, honey. I’m getting the hang of this thing. I can shoot at my target from over two feet away now. Plus, I have Tiny on my side of the ring.”

“That’s right,” said Tiny, flexing his muscles. “And I’m bringing out the big guns, mama.”

Paige groaned.

“Okay, Tarzan, just remember what I said and make it quick,” said Henry. “Not only will I have to poop, but it’s going to be dark soon. This place might not have a generator working inside anymore, and you two don’t want to be stuck alone on the tenth floor in the dark.”

“Oh, I don’t know, I could think of worse things,” said Kristie, smiling slyly at Tiny.

Henry shook his head. “Don’t even think about it. You lose sight of what you’re doing in there and the only one enjoying your bootie will be the zombies. Keep your pants on, both of you.”

“Oh, for Heaven’s sake, we’re not a couple of teenagers,” said Kristie.

“No, but women can’t seem to control themselves around us. It’s always been a curse in our family, if you want to know the truth,” said Henry.

Paige rolled her eyes. “Oh, Lord, here we go again…”

“It isn’t funny. Why do you think my back is so messed up? Not just ‘cause I fell earlier today. Back when I worked the rodeo, it wasn’t the horses or bulls that rode me hard.” He took off his cowboy hat and scratched his head. “Too bad you couldn’t claim disability on that.”

“You’re incredible,” said Paige.

“I am, but you’re a little young for me. So don’t get any ideas,” he said with a light in his watery blue eyes.

“I’ll try to control myself,” she mumbled.

“Okay, we’re out of here,” said Kristie. “And you watch your mouth around my girls, Henry.”

Henry looked appalled. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You’re looking tired, gramps, why don’t you just take a nap,” said Tiny.

“You just remember my warnings,” grumbled Henry.

Tiny and Kristie gave each other a kiss for good measure, then got out and bolted toward the front entrance. Two zombies began to follow them immediately but Tiny took them out with his rifle.

“You know, I think I’m just going to rest my eyes,” said Henry. “Let me know when they come back out.” He then laid his head back and placed his hat over his face.

“You doing okay?” Paige asked Kylie.

Kylie nodded. “Yeah, but a little hungry.”

Paige leaned over and started digging through the bag of snacks next to her. “Chips?”

Kylie’s eyes lit up. “What kind?”

Paige sighed, thinking about Cassie who loved those particular chips. “Well, there are some dill pickle flavored kettle chips.”

“Yum, I’ll take some.”

She handed Kylie the chips and opened up a can of grape soda for herself. “You want any?” she asked.

Kylie shook her head. “No. I still have some water from before.”

“Okay.”

Henry began to snore and both girls smiled at each other.

“He’s a lot quieter when he’s sleeping,” whispered Paige. “I love it.”

“No doubt.”

Paige watched as two zombies stumbled by the van without even looking toward them. “Not very good at hunting for their food, are they? Maybe they’ll die off soon.”

“They’re already dead,” said Kylie.

Paige sighed. “Fine, I mean hopefully they’ll just stop ‘being’.”

Kylie nodded. “There are too many of them. The ones who aren’t shot or killed by the living will eventually run out of food. Mark my words, a year from now, the zombies won’t be a problem.”

“God, I hope you’re right.”

“Me, too.”

“You know, they must be eating everyone’s pets, too,” said Paige, her face turning white. “I haven’t seen any animals since Minnesota.”

Kylie’s eyes filled with tears. “All of those poor, defenseless animals. They don’t even have a clue, and I’m sure that many of their owners are eating them. It’s so… sick.”

“I hadn’t even thought about that. That’s such a horrible image,” said Paige, closing her eyes.

“You know, I wonder if Goldie is doing all right.”

Goldie was the Golden Retriever puppy that Cassie and Bryce had saved from the zombies. Kylie had also fallen in love with the pup, but unfortunately, they hadn’t seen her since she’d disappeared with Dave and his group.

“I wonder how Megan and Bobby are doing, too?” said Paige. “They’re so little. They must be terrified.”

“Actually, Bobby seemed to be enjoying running over zombies,” said Kylie. “He thought it was a game.”

There had been a total six people in the other vehicle, besides the dog, Goldie. Cassie, Dave, Bryce, Sara, and her two-year-old daughter, Megan, and six-year-old Bobby. Eva’s dog, Chi Chi, had fled once Eva had turned into a zombie.

Paige frowned. “Great. I have to pee.”

“You shouldn’t have guzzled that entire can of soda,” said Kylie.

Paige burped. “Too late now.  Listen, I’m going to sneak out and go behind that car across the street.”

“I should come with you, it’s not safe to go by yourself,” said Kylie.

“No, stay here with Henry,” she said, looking at him. He was still snoring with drool running down his chin. “He might freak out if he wakes up and we’re both gone.”

“Well, okay, just hurry back. Don’t forget your bat.”

Paige grabbed the bat and then quietly slid the van door open. She looked back at her little sister, who was biting her lower lip. “Don’t be scared,” she said. “I’ll be right back.”

“Just hurry, Paige. I don’t want you to get attacked by a zombie.”

She lifted the bat in the air. “They’re too scared to come after me. Don’t worry,” she said to Kylie, who was smiling nervously.

“Okay,” said Kylie.

Paige slid the door shut and then went to find a safe spot to pee. She looked around quickly and saw that there were a couple of zombies near the CDC entrance, but neither seemed to notice her.

She went around to the other side of the van and quickly crossed the street, ducking behind an old Buick Century. She unzipped her pants and sighed, finding relief. When she was finished, she stood up and smiled at Kylie, who was watching her from the van window. A look of horror crossed Kylie’s face and she began motioning with her hands. Before Paige could react, someone grabbed her from behind, threw her over their shoulder, and took off running.

6

Kris

Carly returned to the room an hour later. She looked slightly disheveled, but her eyes sparkled with victory.

“So I take it everything went well?” asked Kris, who was sitting at a table playing solitaire.

She nodded and sat down. “Oh, yeah. That guy was so frisky; I could have probably talked him into anything.”

Kris sighed and then leaned forward at the table, resting her chin on her palm. “I still feel guilty that I allowed you to leave with him knowing he was going to put his paws you. I’m a mother of two girls, I should find that totally unacceptable.”

Carly grabbed a hairbrush and ran it through her curls. “Oh… you have nothing to feel guilty about; I didn’t do anything I didn’t want to. Besides, it really didn’t get very far.”

“Well, that makes me feel a little better. I was really worried that you were doing something you didn’t really want to. So, um… did you find out anything about Allie?”

Her face became serious. “I am almost one hundred percent sure that she’s alive. They’re definitely guarding someone or something in that research lab.”

She stood up. “Did Mike tell you that?”

“He didn’t have to. Two very serious-looking soldiers stood outside, guarding the doors.”

“But you didn’t actually see her?”

“I didn’t, but one of the scientists brought something into the room that made it more than obvious.”

“What?”

Carly smiled. “A package of double-stuffed Oreos.”

From their many conversations about Kris’s family, even Carly knew that it was one of Allie’s favorite snacks. She completely obsessed over them. Cassie had a thing for pickles and Allie had one for Oreos.

“I have to go to her,” muttered Kris, standing up. She began to pace. “She’s probably wondering where I am.”

“It isn’t going to be easy to do with those guards posted.”

Kris scratched her head. “Well, then I’ll just need to create some sort of a distraction.”

Carly nodded. “That might be your only hope.”

The plan they came up with was kind of weak, but they didn’t know what else to do. Carly would go on another rendezvous with the soldier, get him liquored up, and take his gun.

“Then we’ll set off a couple of the fire alarms and hopefully the guards will leave the door to investigate. If they do, you can sneak in and get Allie the hell out of there.”

“I have a bottle of tequila,” said Carly, unzipping her backpack. “I found it hidden in the cafeteria yesterday. Nobody claimed the bottle so I grabbed it. Now I’m so glad I did.”

“Do you think he’ll drink any of it?” asked Kris.

She snorted. “Oh, yeah. He’s already complained about how much he misses his rum and Cokes. When he sees this and the promise of a little party with yours truly, I have a feeling that he’ll jump on it. He’s still just a young and horny guy,” she smiled. “Even the zombie apocalypse can’t change that.”

“Okay, I hope it works,” said Kris.

“It has to,” she said. “It’s all we’ve got.”

A couple hours later, Carly disappeared with an overjoyed soldier while Kris waited on pins and needles. She was more than a little scared of what they were about to do, but there was no way anyone was going to keep her away from Allie. She would find her and leave this place, regardless of what was happening in the outside world. It was easier dealing with the enemies you knew rather than the ones you didn’t, and right now she didn’t trust anyone but Carly.

An hour later Carly showed up, out of breath and with a rifle. “Let’s go,” she said nervously. “He’s passed out but I don’t know how long that’s going to last.”

“Wow, you must have poured it down his throat,” said Kris.

Carly smiled. “Let’s just say he’s all talk when it comes to drinking. He’s a sloppy drunk.”

“I guess that’s unfortunate for him but very good for us.”

“Yeah. You ready?”

“Maybe we should hide the rifle.”

“I’m going to put a blanket over it so the other soldiers don’t notice,” said Carly, grabbing the cover from her cot.

“Okay,” said Kris.

“Let’s go.”

They left the room with Carly leading the way. Kris followed her to the other side of the hospital and fortunately they weren’t questioned by anyone. In fact, they didn’t even run into any soldiers.

“So, where are all the soldiers?” asked Kris.

“Mike mentioned that the zombies were starting to get thick out there so they’ve been working on paneling up the windows near the entrance.”

Kris raised her eyebrows. “More zombies? That’s another problem. How are we going to get out of this place once we find Allie?”

Carly smiled and held up a set of keys. “Forgot to mention this, but Mike and I were partying in an ambulance. When he passed out, I grabbed the keys.”

“Good thinking,” smiled Kris. “You know, I don’t think I could have done any of this without your help.”

“Well, we haven’t done it yet.”

“Still, thanks for everything.”

Carly squeezed her shoulder. “You’re welcome, hon.”

They continued on until Carly stopped at one of the waiting rooms. “Okay,” she said. “Through that door is the hallway that leads to the research lab. I’m sure the soldiers are still guarding it. Why don’t you hide behind the patient check-in counter while I start working on a few little distractions?”

“Okay.”

“You know, you should probably take the rifle,” she said handing it over, “since you’re the one going in there. Do you know how to use it?”

Kris shrugged. “Yes. I’m just not a very good shot.”

“Well, neither am I, but it looks impressive when you’re staring into the barrel from the other end.”

Kris chuckled. “It sure does. Good luck.”

“You too. I’ll pull some fire alarms and then be back.”

“Um… what if someone catches you?”

Carly tossed her the keys. “Then you’re on your own. The ambulance is downstairs, parked in the emergency entrance.”

“Be careful,” said Kris.

“You too, lady.”

Carly ran off and Kris knelt down behind the counter. Less than two minutes later, sirens were blasting throughout the hospital. The doors burst open and two soldiers hurried by.

“You think the zombies got through?” asked one of them.

“I hope so. I’m bored off my ass and could use a little action.”

When they were gone, Kris snuck quietly to where the soldiers had abandoned their posts. She sighed with relief to find nobody around and quietly opened the door to the laboratory. It was dark except for a small light in the back of the room. She heard murmurs and crept quietly toward the sound.

“Is there a fire?” asked a small voice that made Kris’s heart sing. Tears of joy filled her eyes.

“I don’t think so,” replied Dr. Hill in a low voice. “But put these shoes on just in case we have to move you to a different room.”

“Okay. Where’s my mom, do you think she’s safe?”

“Actually, I’m right here, Allie,” said Kris, stepping out of the shadows. She raised the rifle and pointed it at Dr. Hill. “Alive and well. I see we have that in common.”

Allie, who was twelve but looked so very small in her hospital gown, squealed in delight and moved toward her mom. “Mom! Oh, my God, I’ve been waiting for you all day! Where have you been?”

Without taking her eyes off of the doctor, she said, “Actually, honey, I’ve been trying to find you.”

Allie looked in confusion at the rifle, which was still trained on Dr. Hill. “Mom, what are you doing?”

“Just protecting us.”

He smiled uncomfortably. “Mrs. Wild, there is really no need for that firearm. I’m not a threat to you or your daughter.”

Her eyes blazed. “Oh, really? In that case, why in the hell did you tell me that my daughter was dead?”

“It wasn’t my idea. I was just following orders. Now please, put down the rifle.”

Kris shook her head. “No, I don’t think so. Say goodbye to Dr. Hill, Allie, we’re leaving.”

“You can’t possibly leave with her,” snapped Dr. Hill, taking a step closer. “My God, woman! She pulled through her coma and survived the virus. It’s vital that we find out why. She could be our only hope for a cure.”

“Since you’ve lied to me, I can’t possibly trust you again with my child. Come on, Allie.”

“But…” stammered Dr. Hill.

She glared at him as he dared to take another step. “Stop right there before you make any more bad mistakes. Don’t think for a moment that I won’t shoot you if you try and stop us from leaving.”

He stopped and shook his head. “You’re the one making a mistake.”

“I made a mistake before by trusting you.”

Allie finished putting on her shoes and stood up slowly.

“Look at her, she’s weak. It’s not safe to drag her away from here,” said Dr. Hill.

“It’s not safe keeping her with you. Now enough bullshit, and get on the floor!” hollered Kris.

He got down on his knees. “I hope you’re not taking her out of the hospital. It’s suicidal.”

“All the way down on the floor,” she replied. “Forehead touching.”

He sighed, but thankfully, followed her instructions.

“Don’t even try following us, or I’ll shoot you.”

“You’ll never make it out of here anyway,” he said. “There are far too many soldiers. They just won’t allow it.”

“Stay down,” she growled as they began to back away. Before they reached the door, it opened. Fortunately, it was only Carly.

“Thank goodness you found her. We have to leave quickly,” Carly whispered.

“Here, please take this,” said Kris giving her the gun. She then grabbed Allie’s hand and squeezed it. “This is Carly, honey. She’s helping us escape.”

Allie, who looked suddenly very frail and frightened, smiled.

“Honey, how do you feel?” Kris asked her as they followed Carly through the hospital.

“A little dizzy,” Allie said softly.

She put an arm around her daughter to help steady her. As they began leaving, voices from down one of the nearby hallways halted them.

“Someone’s coming, hide in that room,” ordered Carly.

They waited in one of the exam rooms until a couple of soldiers hurried past.

“Those were Allie’s guards. We have to get the hell out of here,” said Carly.

Kris tightened her hold on Allie and they rushed out of the room to a stairway which led to the main floor of the emergency entrance.

“There’s the ambulance,” pointed Carly.

Kris threw her the keys and turned to Allie. “Honey, we have to run!”

She nodded. “Okay, mom.”

“Stop right there!” yelled someone.

Kris grabbed Allie’s hand and began running. When she looked back and noticed a group of soldiers running toward them, she pulled Allie faster. “Come on, honey!”

Carly made it to the ambulance first and opened the back of it. She climbed in moved all the way to the front.

Breathless, Kris helped Allie climb into the back and slammed the door.

“Good thing Mike’s gone. Now let’s get the hell out of here!” yelled Carly as she started up the truck. “Hold on, girls!”

Kris touched Allie’s cheek, still overwhelmed with happiness that her daughter was alive and no longer in a coma. “Get on the floor, honey, and don’t be afraid.”

Allie nodded and then crouched down on the floor of the ambulance.

“I’ll be back,” said Kris, handing her a blanket and pillow. She then turned and made her way to the front.

“Oh, shit,” mumbled Carly as several soldiers tried blocking the exit. “They’d better move, because I’m not stopping.”

“For the love of God, get out of the way!” hollered Kris as she reached over and blasted the horn several times. When the soldiers noticed the ambulance was picking up speed, they reluctantly moved.

“Wow, I think we’re actually going to make it!” shouted Carly with a triumphant smile. “Brace yourself!”

She then floored the truck and they crashed through the enormous glass garage door, hitting several zombies staggering around on the other side. The sounds of gunfire echoed behind them as they raced away.

“Thank God,” smiled Kris. “We did it. I can’t believe it. You’re incredible!”

Carly smiled. “I told you I knew what I was doing.”

She squeezed her shoulder. “Thank you again, so much.”

“Where to now?” asked Carly.

“I need to find the rest of my family,” said Kris. “Let’s get to the old CDC building.”

7

John Doe

“Where are we going?” asked Luke.

“It’s getting dark,” he answered. “We need to find a place to crash for the night. Somewhere the zombies won’t bother us.”

Luke snorted. “Well, good luck with that. I slept in the air ducts at the mini mall during the night. It was the only place I felt semi-safe.”

He had to admit that it was pretty ingenious for a young teenager. “Don’t worry, kid, we’ll find something.”

“Why don’t we just sleep in this thing?” asked Luke.

It had been a stroke of good luck when they happened upon a 2005 Jeep Cherokee with almost a full tank of gas, although he still didn’t feel it was safe enough against the zombies. Not for sleeping.

“No. The zombies can see us pretty clearly in this thing. Plus,” he said, wiping beads of sweat from his forehead, “it’s already summer and getting hot, even at night. With all of the zombies moping around, we can’t even roll the windows down, and I certainly don’t want to run the air conditioner all night in this thing. Waste of gas.”

“I suppose.”

They drove around Atlanta until Luke pointed to a small bar and casino. “What about that place?”

He stopped next to the old dive which looked like it might have been closed down before the zombie invasion. The windows were boarded up and the door was padlocked. It wasn’t luxurious, but it appeared secure.

He nodded. “Okay, let’s give it a whirl.”

They parked in the lot and hurried over to the bar where he used his ax to smash through a small basement window, and they both climbed inside. Moments later, they watched as a pair of mottled bloody feet passed by the open window.

“Almost had a situation, there,” he said.

“Good timing,” said Luke.

“Be careful where you walk, kid.”

The cobwebbed basement was dark and filled with cleaning supplies and boxes of booze. In the back were several wooden cabinets and a couple of metal chests.

“Hey, I found a flashlight,” said Luke, holding it up.

“Nice.”

Using the flashlight, they went upstairs into the casino and looked around. There were two rows of slot machines, a few blackjack tables, a money wheel, and a fully-stocked bar.

“If I was a drinker, which I don’t think I am, I’d be in Heaven right now,” he said, looking through several full bottles of rum and vodka.

Luke bent down behind the bar where he found a cooler that was now warm. “Found some bottled water and Red Bull. I love those things.”

He turned around and stared at Luke. “Stick with the water, Red Bull has too much caffeine for a young kid like you.”

Luke smirked. “I’m almost fifteen. I’ve had lots of energy drinks in the past, and even some beer.”

He lifted a bottle of booze. “Really? Well, shit, let’s break open this bottle of Cold Turkey, then!”

Luke’s eyes lit up. “Really?”

He shook his head. “Hell no. You’re definitely too young for booze. Energy drinks are one thing, this stuff…” he shuddered. “Frankly, I don’t think anyone is mature enough for this shit.”

“Crap!” hollered Luke, jumping backwards.

“What?”

His face was white. “Something ran over my foot.”

He shined the flashlight toward the floor and found a small rat. He kicked the rodent and it went flying across the floor.

“You didn’t have to hurt it,” said Luke.

He snorted. “They carry all kinds of diseases. If that thing would have bitten you, you know we can’t just rush to the local clinic for a rabies shot.”

Luke looked around nervously. “I hope he was alone.”

“Don’t sweat it. Just kick ‘em or kill ‘em if they come around,” he replied.

Luke’s stomach growled loudly in the darkness.

“Guess you’re hungry. I noticed a kitchen in the back, let’s go and see if there’s any food packed away.”

They found a pantry in the kitchen that was well stocked with plenty of nonperishable foods.

He rubbed his chin. “Someone was prepared for this shit. I wonder where they are now?”

Luke started digging through the food. “Maybe they were killed. Wow, would you look at all this stuff! Cereal, nuts, granola bars, crackers… we scored big time!”

He smiled. “Listen, I’m going back downstairs to board up that window. Stay put and scream your lungs out if you need me.”

Luke nodded and began stuffing his face with tortilla chips. “Holy cow, there’s a can of nacho cheese sauce! There is a God!”

His own stomach began to growl as he went back to the basement. They were lucky to have found all the food, but something told him the owner might be back and probably wouldn’t be happy to find it raided. They’d have to stay alert most of the night.

After searching through several drawers, he found a hammer and some nails, along with several candles. Fortunately, he’d kept a couple of cigarette lighters he’d found earlier.

“Damn rats,” he muttered, kicking another one across the room. He hoped the place wasn’t infested.

Another zombie walked by the window he’d broken through and he decided it was time to board it back up. Taking his ax, he broke off a couple of wooden cabinet doors and used them to cover the broken glass.

“Hey, Hooters!” hollered Luke from the top of the stairs.

Hooters?

He walked over to the foot of the stairway and looked up. “What’s wrong, Luke?”

He smiled sheepishly. “Nothing, I’m just starting to get the creeps all alone up here.”

He grabbed the ax and candles then walked up the steps. “So… Hooters?”

Luke chuckled. “I thought you needed a name, since you can’t remember your own.”

He looked down at his T-shirt and smiled. “Yeah, but I feel so… dirty when you call me that.”

Luke laughed. “You come up with your name and I’ll quit looking at your chest.”

A loud crash from outside startled them both. He ran upstairs and looked through a gap in one of the boarded windows. “Shit,” he said, turning to Luke. “Looks like we have company, and this time, they’re not dead.”

8

Paige

Kristie was inconsolable when she found out that Paige had been kidnapped. Tiny held her as she sobbed into his shoulder.

“What did the guy look like? Did you see him, Henry?” asked Tiny over Kristie’s head.

Henry’s face was somber and there were tears in his eyes. “No, dear God, and I’m so sorry. I’d just meant to rest my eyes, is all. I just… I fell asleep and woke up to Kylie screaming bloody murder. By the time I looked outside, they were gone.”

Kristie released a ragged sigh and then moved away from Tiny. She grabbed Kylie’s hand and squeezed it gently. “Kylie, honey, tell us again, what exactly did you see?”

Kylie’s face was streaked with her own tears. “Um, I saw this big man with dark hair come up behind her and grab her. I tried to warn Paige, but it happened so fast. I’m so sorry, mom!”

Kristie wrapped her arms around Kylie and drew her in close. “It’s not your fault, baby. Just remember that. It’s… it’s my fault.”

“Whoa… it’s not your fault, Kristie,” stated Tiny. “Don’t ever blame yourself for that.”

“But, I shouldn’t have left my girls,” she choked, fresh tears rolling down her face. “Good Lord, what in the hell was I thinking?”

“No, if it’s anyone’s fault, it’s mine,” said Tiny. “I should have gone by myself into that building, which, hell, ended up being a total waste of time, anyway.”

It had been a waste of time. There hadn’t been anyone in the main building. When they began walking toward the smaller facility, Henry and Kylie had intercepted them with the horrific news.

“Listen,” said Henry, raising his hands. “It’s not anyone’s fault but the bastard who took her. Now, we have to quit blaming ourselves and start looking for Paige.”

Kristie’s eyes burned angrily. “When I find the asshole who took her, I’m going to make him wish he’d have turned into a zombie. I swear to God, there’s going to be a lot of pain involved.”

Tiny put his hands on her shoulders. “I’ll do everything in my power to help. Let’s go find your daughter, babe. You have my word that we won’t stop looking until we get her back.

Kristie’s brushed away the last of her tears and nodded. “Thank you.”

***

Paige woke up in what appeared to be some kind of large banquet room. Several tables were pushed against the wall and women of different ages were lying around on the floor, either crying or staring miserably into space.

She blinked her eyes several times, willing it to be a dream. Unfortunately, it wasn’t even a nightmare. It was all real, and she was confused as all hell.

“You’re up,” said a disheveled woman sitting on the ground nearby. “If I were you, I’d go back to sleep. You don’t want to be awake in this nightmare.”

Paige cleared her throat. “What’s happening?”

Footsteps echoed behind her and she turned to stare at a man dressed in gray slacks and a dark blue silk shirt. He knelt down next to her and the smell of spicy cologne engulfed her.

“Well I see that Bright Eyes is finally awake,” he said, rubbing a finger along his goatee. “Nice of you to finally join us, sweetheart.”

Paige stood up and backed away from him. “Where am I? Where’s my mom?”

He stood up and took a step toward her. “Don’t worry about that right now. In fact, you’re safe with me.”

Although he was a couple inches shorter than her, he looked dangerous, especially with the holstered gun on his side.

“I’m not supposed to be here,” she snapped, getting angry. Who were these people?

He ignored her comment and stared at her mouth. “So, are you thirsty? Would you like something to drink? Your lips look dry and cracked.”

Paige licked them and nodded. She was parched. “Um, sure, I guess.”

He smiled. “Stay here, I’ll be right back,” he said, walking away. Her eyes followed him as he stopped next to a bar in the back of the room where another guy was sitting, watching them.

“Don’t trust that asshole,” whispered the woman near her. “He’ll try and put his hands on you after he gets you liquored up. He did that to Celia; practically raped her.”

Paige’s felt nauseated. “Who are these men and why are we here?”

“Oh, we’re here to play a game,” said the woman with a bitter smile.

She frowned. “I don’t get it. They kidnapped us to play a game?”

She nodded. “That they did.”

“Seriously?”

“Dead serious,” replied the woman.

“Well what kind of game? Monopoly, Yahtzee? Don’t Spill The Beans?”

“Nice try, but it’s a game I guarantee you’ve never heard of.”

This woman was beginning to irritate her, too. “Well, will they let us go, if we win?”

“Kid, I don’t know exactly how the game is played but I can tell you this – you lose, you’ll die, and that’s for real. You win,” she shrugged. “Well… you’ll still lose.”

Paige looked confused. “I’m sorry, what do you mean?”

She let out a ragged breath. “We’re the pawns in a really fucked up game, honey. A game that has no winners ‘cept the men who’ve created it. The fact is that no matter what happens, you’ll never come out ahead.”

Paige’s eyes hardened. She wasn’t about to give up. If she was forced to play a game, she’d do whatever she had to survive. “A game, huh? I guess I’ll just have to figure out a way to win.”

The woman lowered her voice. “Even if you could possibly win this game of theirs, honey, you’re probably better off dead.”

9

Kris

The sun was starting to go down while the zombies appeared to be waking up all over town. A feeling of dread gnawed in Kris’s stomach as she watched their shadows creep by.

“Wow, look at all of those hideous creatures. I doubt we would have made it without this rig,” stated Carly, gripping the steering wheel. They’d had to slow down and it was nerve-wracking to see such horror up close. Dozens of zombies staggered aimlessly down the road with no particular destination.

Kris watched as two undead preyed upon some kind of dead animal, possibly a raccoon. It was certainly a gruesome sight to behold, their bloody, rotting, faces gorging themselves with food. She shuddered and looked away.

“Not many survivors, I guess,” said Carly.

Kris shook her head and sighed. “Doesn’t look like it.”

They drove for a few more blocks, swerving to miss zombies and hitting some that walked right into their path. The crunch of bones and screams from the walkers was enough to make Kris’s skin crawl. It was hard to believe that a week ago, these same creatures were living normal lives. She could only pray that her husband and oldest daughter were still alive and not among them.

“There it is,” said Kris, pointing to the CDC building.

Carly nodded. “I’ve seen pictures in the past of this place. Doesn’t quite look so impressive now,” she said, pulling into the parking lot.

“I’m going to check on Allie,” said Kris, moving toward the back of the ambulance where her daughter was curled up in a cot, sleeping. She touched her forehead with the back of her hand and sighed with relief to find it still felt cool to the touch. For days, Allie had been burning up while her body struggled against the virus that had invaded her body. It wasn’t until she’d slipped into a coma that she’d started getting better.

“Hi, mom,” whispered Allie, her blue eyes fluttering open. “I thought I was dreaming that you’d found me. But you really did…”

“Yes, sweetie,” she said, planting a kiss on her forehead. “I’m really here. How are you feeling?”

Allie sat up. “I’m okay, maybe a little hungry.”

“We’ll scout around for some food real soon. I’m getting hungry myself.”

“Okay. Um… where are dad and Cassie?”

She smiled sadly. “Tell you the truth, I’m not really sure. We’re trying to find them.”

“You know, I had these strange dreams about Cassie. She was sick but we were together and she made me feel so safe. I hope she is safe like me right now.”

Kris blinked back tears. “Me too, honey.”

“Hey, you’d better come up here,” hollered Carly.

She rushed to the front of the vehicle and gasped at the scene across the street. A man was being dragged toward an army truck by two military soldiers. His face was battered and his dark hair was messed up, but she’d have recognized him anywhere. As the soldiers drew closer to the truck, the prisoner came to life and made a last-ditch effort to escape. Unfortunately, they stopped him and then began hitting him violently with their fists.

“What in the hell is wrong with those men?” gasped Carly. ‘Nobody deserves to get treated like that!”

“Oh, my God,” choked Kris, grabbing on to the door handle. “We have to do something before they kill him!”

Then, something happened that neither of them had expected; the rescue team arrived. Only this rescue team would have preferred to kill all three men and snack on their brains in between.

Carly and Kris watched in horror as a crowd of zombies stumbled toward the unsuspecting soldiers, who were still too busy beating their prisoner senseless to notice their arrival. The sickening smiles on the soldiers matched those of the zombies, until they became victims. As the soldiers started fighting back, the prisoner stood up and miraculously, began running.

“Follow him!” yelled Kris.

10

John Doe?

“Good thing your brother Walt boarded up this shithole, Belinda,” said a tall guy with muscles the size of cantaloupes, which were protruding from his Harley Davidson tank.

“Yeah, and good thing the dumb fuck’s wife got her flu shot,” chuckled a raspy bleached blond woman. She wore a Metallica tank top, a miniscule leather skirt, and tall black boots. She looked like a heavy metal groupie from the eighties; one that hadn’t aged well. “Otherwise,” she said, “I’d have had to kick his ass out of here myself.”

“I’m sorry you missed out on that,” said the big guy as he came up behind the woman and put an arm around her waist. “But I’m sure his zombie wife did him in just fine.”

She nodded. “She did many guys fine, I’ve heard.”

“Wow,” snorted a short, greasy-haired guy who was swigging out of a bottle of vodka like it was water. “You must have really hated your bro and his wife.”

“Walter? Yeah but only after he stopped looking out for his little sister. You never turn your back on family. Never,” she muttered, stepping away from Charlie. She lit up cigarette and inhaled.

Charlie crossed his arms across his chest. “Hon, I thought you said you were older than Walt?”

“Well, you were wrong,” snapped Belinda through a cloud of smoke. “He was forty-five and I’m only… twenty-nine.”

Even Charlie was smart enough not to crack a smile at that one. The truth of the matter was the skinny woman looked like she was closer to fifty, with the many scowl lines permanently etched on her face. Her skinny, drawn-on eyebrows, hot pink lips, and dark roots didn’t help her looks, either.

Struggling not to laugh himself, he watched from his hiding spot, which was under a booth in the back corner of the bar. Because the lighting was so poor, he could see them but they couldn’t see him. There were four of them who’d arrived at the casino, three men and the blond woman. Before they’d actually broken the boards to get in, he’d taken Luke downstairs, hiding him in a cabinet. Thankfully, the kid was a beanpole and was able to twist his body to fit inside.

“Wonder whose Jeep that is in the parking lot?” muttered Charlie as he rubbed his goatee.

“I’m sure it was abandoned some time ago. Listen,” said Belinda in her low, scratchy voice. “Why don’t you try and find some food? I’m going upstairs to take a nap.”

“Here,” said Charlie, handing her a bottle of whiskey. “This will help you relax. I’ll be up later.”

“You dirty boy,” cackled Belinda. “Trying to get me liquored up so you can get a piece, huh?”

Charlie laughed. “I wasn’t thinking about that, but now that you mention it,” he said, slapping her bony rear. “I’ll be up sooner than later.”

She reached into her shirt and scratched her armpit. “You’d better be quick, I need my beauty sleep,” she said.

She left and he thought it would take more than one night to fix that mess.

“So,” said the third guy with a long, white scar on his face. “We gonna hit up some more stores before everyone else cleans them out? Shit, I don’t know about you, but if Belinda runs out of her Marlboros, I don’t want to be among the living.”

“Screw that shit,” said Charlie. “I’m done driving all over town just to find gas stations that have already been looted. I’ve got something easier and better in mind. Belinda’s cousin, Tony, is staying at some swanky hotel with his posse and they’ve got something big cooking. I want in.”

“The mobster? What’s the deal?” asked the scarred guy.

“All I know is that if we can round up some bitches for them, we’ll have more dope than we know what to do with. It’s coming straight from Colombia, too,” said Charlie.

“You’re shitting me,” laughed Bones. “I never thought I’d get my hands on premium shit again.”

“No kidding,” answered Charlie. ‘You can’t find blow on the streets anymore, only fucking zombies.”

“So where are we supposed to find these broads?” asked Bones.

“Well, that’s why they need us. These women need to be alive and fairly good-looking which is, as you know, VERY hard to come by.”

“What are they doing with them? Trading for drugs?” asked Bones.

Charlie shrugged. “Maybe. Anyway, you got to figure that eventually this zombie shit will be over and life will go on. Drugs will be in demand again and Tony probably wants to be on top of his game.”

“Okay,” said Bones. “I’m in. Shit, got nothing better to do, anyway. Why don’t you go tuck Belinda into bed and then we’ll go hunting. If there are any bitches left in Atlanta, we’ll hunt them down.”

11

Paige

She didn’t know what hurt the most, the pain in her stomach or in her face. At least her nose had finally quit bleeding.

“Just remember what I told you, bitch. We own you now. Got that? We own you. So you’d better keep your mouth shut and show me some respect,” he spat with a murderous glare.

Paige stared at Marco with mutual hatred, the tool who’d tried to feeling her up after she’d all but passed out from the wine he’d offered her. She’d initially rejected it, but her thirst had gotten the better of her.

“Just one glass won’t kill you,” he’d said with an innocent smile. “Then we’ll see what we can do about finding your family and friends, doll-face.”

The white wine hadn’t been half bad and she’d guzzled the glass quickly. When he’d offered her a second, she’d obliged, feeling warm and fuzzy.

“It’d be a shame for this Moscato to go to waste. It’s a good year, too.”

“Just one more,” she’d slurred.

When her head began to spin, Marco had acted like her best friend, offering a pillow, blanket, and a quiet place to rest. Then, when she’d realized it wasn’t her hand squeezing her chest, she’d elbowed him in the face. He’d hollered bloody murder when his nose started to bleed and then pulled out a set of brass knuckles. Unfortunately, he’d gotten her a few times in the face before the other guard, hearing the loud commotion, arrived and pulled him off.

Blood splatters from both of them covered the pillow and she threw it across the room. “You’ll never own me, asshole,” she mumbled as he walked away.

***

After driving around the city for an hour without any clues as to where Paige had been taken, Tiny pulled into the parking lot of a small corner grocery store.

“I’m starving, babe,” he said. “Let’s just take a break and see if there’s any food left in this place.”

Kristie stared out the window, her face a mask of despair. “Fine.”

He touched her hair. “Why don’t you wait in the van with Kylie and I’ll take Henry with me. As soon as we get back, we’ll keep looking.”

She nodded.

“Come on, gramps,” said Tiny. “Grab your shotgun.”

“Okay,” he said and then cleared his throat. “Listen, Kristie, I just want you to know how horrible I feel. It was my fault she was taken, and I am truly sorry. I messed up.”

She turned around and looked at him incredulously. “Oh, Henry. Don’t go blaming yourself. Please?”

His lips tightened. “Easier said than done. I tell you what, though, I won’t give up until we find her, by golly. That’s my promise to you.”

She nodded. “We’ll find her, because I’m not giving up either.”

“Me neither, babe,” said Tiny. “And when I get my hands on the schmuck who took her, he’s going to wish he’d been eaten by a zombie instead of crossing us.”

12

Kris

The man the soldiers had been beating up seemed to have disappeared into thin air. They’d watched him run into an alley behind several businesses and followed, but when it led to a dead end, he was nowhere to be seen.

“We must have missed a door somewhere,” said Carly, backing out of the alley. It was now nighttime and hard to see much of anything, especially in a dark alley. “Did you see him?”

Kris tapped her fingernails on the door nervously. “No.”

“So, you knew him? Who was he?”

Before she could answer, Carly slammed on the brakes. “What in the hell?”

A large flower delivery van was blocking their path out of the alley. The lights were off and it was hard to tell if anyone was actually in it.

“Obviously that wasn’t there a moment ago,” said Carly, grabbing the rifle. “I wonder if I should lay on the horn or fire a bullet?”

Kris shook her head. “They’ve blocked us on purpose? What the hell is happening?”

Both women watched their side-view mirrors nervously, not knowing what to expect. There was nobody around, and the driver’s seat appeared to be empty.

“This is bullshit. I’m going out to investigate,” said Carly, her patience wearing thin. She shut off the lights and whispered, “We have to get out of this alley. Keep the doors locked and stay low.”

Kris nodded. “Okay, you just be careful.”

Allie crawled up to the front of the vehicle. “What’s happening?”

“Nothing yet, but stay close to your mom, Allie,” said Carly as she shut the door behind her and stepped out into the darkness.

Kris watched through her mirror as Carly crept toward the white van. The darkness seemed so ominous and she was almost certain that flesh-eating zombies were going to pounce on poor Carly at any moment. Obviously, they weren’t the ones who’d driven the van, however. At least, she hoped not. Now that there were zombies lurking the streets, her mind was open to almost any possibility.

Allie sighed. “So, where did Carly go?”

“She just went to go check on something, honey. Don’t worry.”

Allie’s eyes narrowed. “It’s more than that, mom. I can tell by your face.”

“Okay, we think someone is intentionally blocking our path.”

“What?”

A single gunshot made both of them jump, and Kris began to tremble. “Lord, help us.”

“Mom?” whispered Allie in horror. “Is Carly okay?”

Kris checked the mirror. “I… I can’t see anything.”

“I’m scared.”

Kris grabbed her hand and squeezed it. Looking into her eyes, she said, “Listen, honey, we may need to run. If Carly doesn’t return here in a few minutes, we’ll go back down the alley and look for a safer way out.”

There was a screech of tires. Kris looked back into the mirror and noticed the van had left, but there was no sign of Carly.

“Where is she?” asked Allie.

Before Kris could answer, the back door of the ambulance opened up. Apparently thinking it was Carly, Allie hurried back to greet her.

“No, Allie!” yelled Kris as rushed to catch her daughter.

Allie shrieked loudly, and when she saw the figure holding her daughter, Kris broke down and cried.

***

Carly stared angrily at the two men who’d abducted her. They were smoking cigarettes and acting as if it they were some sort of corporate bigwigs on a smoke-break without a care in the world. Both wore expensive suits, had perfectly gelled hair, and sported shiny Italian shoes. They were in the middle of a zombie apocalypse and these guys didn’t seem to realize it.

“Tony’s going to like this broad,” said the heavyset man. He was short and squat, his round stomach reminding her of a meatball.

The taller man leered at her and licked his lips. “Yeah, she’s a looker.”

She was furious with herself for being caught off guard, especially by a couple of boneheads. They’d gotten her when she’d stuck her head inside the back of the flower van. The taller man had grabbed her from behind and she’d fought back, almost getting away. It wasn’t until the shorter guy took her gun and fired it as a warning that she knew she was screwed. The only good to come out of it was that they hadn’t bothered to check the ambulance.

“Why have you done this?” she asked them, rubbing her wrists. They’d handcuffed both her wrists and ankles tightly before shoving her into the van. She was surprised when they took the restraints off immediately upon entering the hotel. Apparently, they didn’t feel she was a threat anymore.

The taller man smiled, his eyes sparkling. “Because we can.”

“Charming,” she said, rolling her eyes.

“Why don’t you just sit here quietly so we don’t have to tape your mouth shut,” said the taller guy.

She ignored him. “Who the hell are you people?”

The meatball guy stepped closer to her and blew a cloud of smoke toward her face. He smiled. “We’re with the Boy Scouts of America, doll.”

Carly snorted. “You look more like someone who swallowed a boy scout.”

The taller man burst out laughing.

Meatball pointed to him. “You shut the fuck up, Donnie,” he growled and then turned to Carly. “And you, you’re gonna learn real fast not to open that trap of yours unless I say so. Capiche?”

Before Carly could fire back with a snide comment, another group of well-dressed thugs stepped into the lobby.

“Hey, Tony,” said Meatball. “You need this one for tonight’s game?”

A tall guy, meticulously dressed with an ample belly of his own, stared at Carly and then smiled. “No, we’re good tonight. We’ll save her for the next one. Nice catch, by the way, boys. She’s good-looking; almost a shame to waste such a nice piece of tail.”

Carly glared at him. “Seriously? Piece of tail?”

“Look out, everyone,” hollered someone coming through the entrance. “Zombies coming.”

“Dead men walking,” snickered Donnie.

Everyone backed up and Carly watched incredulously as five zombies were ushered into the hotel in a metal cage secured onto a long flatbed cart.

“Jesus, those things stink,” mumbled Meatball.

Stink was an understatement. Rotten eggs and horse manure is what the horrific smell reminded Carly of.

“Nice,” smiled Tony, cracking his knuckles. “Now, get those zombies into the pool and bring me some bitches.”

13

John Doe?

The woman was snoring loudly as the three men left in their pickup truck. He waited, watching her as she slept for a while, before he felt satisfied that she was really out. Then he went back into the basement for Luke. The look in the boy’s eyes was of sheer terror when he opened the cabinet door.

“Hey, it’s just me. You okay?”

Luke nodded but was visibly shaken.

“Listen, we’ve got to get out of here,” he whispered. “I’m gonna grab some food, load up the truck, and then we’ll find another place to crash.”

Luke nodded.

He grabbed Luke’s arm before he moved toward the steps. “One more thing – there’s a woman upstairs, sleeping. I want you to watch her as quietly as possible, and if she wakes up, come and tell me right away. I don’t think she’ll wake up as long as we’re quiet, but you never know.”

Luke raised his eyebrows. “She’s sleeping? Where are the others?”

“They left, but they’ll be back.”

“Shoot, and I really liked this place,” muttered Luke.

He nodded. “So did I, kid.”

Luke went upstairs to watch Belinda while he started filling a large empty container he’d found with food from the pantry. When he couldn’t get any more into the container, he lifted it up and started walking out of the kitchen.

“Hey, asshole – where in the fuck do you think you’re going with that?”

He sighed and turned around to find Belinda holding a gun toward the back of Luke’s head. The boy’s face was as white as her overly-bleached, straw-like hair.

He put down the box and raised his hands. “Okay, let’s just relax here. Please, lower your gun. You’re scaring the kid.”

She snorted. “Do I look like I care?”

He paused for a second then said, “You should. He’s your nephew. Walt’s son.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Walter’s?”

He nodded with a straight face. “Yeah. Walt just found out he was a father to this boy before all the zombie shit.”

She lowered the gun slightly and turned Luke around. “You really Walter’s kid?”

Without a beat, Luke nodded. “Yeah, but I never got a chance to get to know him.”

Good job, kid, he thought, biting back a smile. “Yeah, this kid’s had a rough life. His mother abandoned him and Walt didn’t really want him either.”

Luke’s face fell, as if it really rang true and he was brokenhearted.

Belinda bit the side of her lip and then nodded. “He always was a son-of-a-bitch. You don’t do that to your family.”

“Poor kid doesn’t have anyone now,” he said.

She tilted her head. “Yeah, now that I look at you, I’ll bet you’re Janine’s kid. You look just like that woman. She was always sniffing around Walt’s heels. He must have knocked her up finally.”

“Appears that way,” he said.

Her eyes eyed him appraisingly. “So, who are you?”

“I used to work for your brother until the zombie shit hit the fan.”

She stood up straighter, sucking in her stomach and pushing out her chest. “So, what’s your name, good lookin’?”

Surprising even himself, he opened his mouth and answered, “Bryce.”

14

Paige

It was after ten o’clock by the time they’d circled back to the CDC. They hadn’t had any luck driving around the city, so they decided to start back at the place she’d disappeared, just in case Paige had somehow escaped and was in the area.

“My poor baby,” mumbled Kristie, staring absently at the flame of her lighter as she flicked it on and off. “She must just be terrified, wherever she is.”

“Paige is a survivor,” said Tiny. “I mean, obviously I don’t know her that well, but I can certainly see it in her eyes. She’s going to put up a good fight. Hell, she’ll probably escape.”

“It’s… it’s just so hard. I mean, what do they want with her? We’re in the middle of a zombie apocalypse for Christ’s sake!” cried Kristie.

“Maybe they’re just lonely and want company?” asked Kylie.

Henry took off his hat and scratched his head. “That might be true, young lady. Zombie apocalypses do crazy things to people, even brings out the loneliness. Maybe they just wanted someone to talk to. Or maybe they thought Paige was alone and in danger, so they took off with her. You know, to save her from the zombies.”

Kylie smiled. “Yeah. Maybe it was someone who really did think she was in trouble. There were zombies nearby.”

“Hey, we’ve got company,” interrupted Tiny as he stared into his rearview mirror.

A pair of headlights moved toward them from out of the darkness. It slowly drew up next to them then came to a stop, as they all stared in disbelief.

“Would you look at that?” chuckled Henry.

“Someone put in a call for help?” smiled a familiar face in the driver’s seat of the ambulance.

“Are you shitting me!?” hollered Tiny. “We’ve been looking all over for you!”

Dave’s lips curled up. “Well, I ran into a little trouble along the way. Speaking of trouble, here comes more. Why don’t you follow me for a safer place to catch up?” he asked, rolling up his window.

Their voices had caught the attention of a small group of zombies wandering across the street.

“Oh, crap,” grumbled Kristie.

Tiny started the engine right as the four zombies stepped into their direct path. “Get out of the way!” he yelled, laying on the horn. “Or I’m going to run your asses over!”

Kristie snorted. “Get out of the way? Like that’s really going to work.”

Incredibly, the zombies did step out of the way and began gravitating toward the CDC, as if they had a purpose.

Kristie frowned. “That was odd. I guess whatever’s going on in there is more entertaining than us. I wonder if we should check it out again.”

“Come on, there’s nothing happening in those buildings,” said Tiny. “Those zombies are probably familiar with that place and are drawn to it. Shit, maybe they used to work there in their previous life.”

“Actually, mom, I think the zombies really understood Tiny,” said Kylie.

“Honey, I doubt they have any thoughts at all, let alone rational ones,” said Kristie.

“I don’t know,” said Henry. “What do we really know about these things? Maybe they can understand simple instructions.”

Kylie giggled. “I wonder what they’d do if you asked them to lie down and play dead?”

Henry smiled and patted her gently on the head.

Tiny started the engine and followed Dave as he drove for several blocks until they reached a newer abandoned furniture warehouse. Dave sounded the horn, and within a few minutes, a large garage door opened near the loading area. As they followed him into one of the garages, several people watched their arrival warily from inside.

“At least we know we’re not the only ones in Atlanta,” said Kylie.

When Dave parked the ambulance, they watched as he got out and spoke to a tall thin, man with glasses. After several seconds, Dave motioned for them to get out of the van.

The man’s eyes widened when he saw Tiny approach.

“Hey, brother, how’s it going?” asked Tiny, holding out his large paw.

“Let me introduce you, Dan, this is Tiny, Kristie, Henry, and Kylie,” said Dave.

“Nice to meet you,” said the man, shaking all of their hands. “I’m Dan Schultzenheimer.”

“Dan’s actually a scientist from the CDC, the one who’s been working on a cure for the zombie virus. I stumbled upon him the other day as he was sneaking back into the CDC building to collect some of his files.”

“Working on a cure, is that so? Have you found one yet, Doc?” asked Henry.

He shook his head. “No, unfortunately not quite yet,” said Dan.

“So, Dave, where’s the rest of your gang?” asked Kristie as she glanced around. There were several clusters of people from every shape, size, and nationality camped out around the warehouse, talking quietly or playing cards. They’d set up several sofas and chairs using lanterns to light up the dark building. Almost everyone was armed with some kind of weapon and looked very much on edge.

His lips thinned. “Well, Cassie is being held somewhere by the government. Ever since I brought her into the CDC for help, they’ve been giving me the runaround. Now they’re refusing to let me see her and I don’t know where they’ve taken her.”

“What happened to your face?” asked Tiny.

Dave touched the bruise on his cheek and smiled humorlessly. “That’s the answer a couple of the soldiers gave me when I put some pressure on them for answers. Cheap bastards.”

Tiny cracked his knuckles. “Looks like I’ll just have to come with you next time.”

“Appreciate it, Tiny,” smiled Dave. "I’d like to see the look on their faces with you standing by my side.”

“So, where’s Bryce?” asked Henry. “That feller who Cassie was moonin’ over?”

Dave sighed. “Bryce is M.I.A., haven’t seen him since yesterday morning after we were shot at by those guys in the truck. They grabbed him and I took off.”

“Oh, no! Did they kill him?” asked Kristie.

“I don’t know. I feel lousy for not being able to help, but he was behind my truck and they started shooting right as I got in. I saw them grab Bryce and I took off because I didn’t want any of the kids getting hit by stray bullets.”

“What a nightmare,” said Kristie, shaking her head.

“Well, what about the others? Sara and the two kids?” asked Henry.

“Bobby’s upstairs with Kris and Allie. Sara got ahold of her brother, who’s in the Air Force and he picked her up in a helicopter yesterday. He took them both back to Washington to some kind of underground shelter.”

“Oh good; at least they’re safe,” sighed Kristie.

Kylie’s eyes lit up. “Allie’s here? Can I see her?”

Dave nodded. “Yeah, I’ll take you to her.”

“How’s she doing?” asked Kristie.

“She’s pulled through,” he said with a relieved smile. “It’s a miracle.”

“It is,” replied Kristie.

“Wait a minute,” said Dave, looking back toward the van. “Where’s Paige?”

Kristie’s eyes became shiny and she couldn’t speak. She turned away to compose herself.

“We don’t know,” replied Tiny, for her. “Someone kidnapped her.”

Dave’s face fell. “Kidnapped her? Are you kidding me?”

“Wish it was a joke. Someone took her in front of the CDC earlier today, actually ran off with her. We have no idea where the bastards took her,” said Tiny.

Dave frowned. “Interesting that you said that. My wife’s friend, Carly, is also missing. She disappeared earlier today, too. We thought it had to have been zombies, but after hearing your story, I’m thinking it might even somehow be related.”

“Sounds very plausible,” said Dan, who’d been listening to the entire conversation. “From what Kris said, Carly shouldn’t have been taken down by a couple of zombies. Not when she’s survived this long and knew how to use a gun.”

“We need to keep searching for them,” said Kristie, wiping her eyes. “God, if anything happened to Paige, I just don’t know what I’ll do.”

“Babe,” said Tiny, pulling her close. “She’s alive. Have some faith.”

“You know,” said Kristie, “when this all started, I would have never guessed that the real danger wasn’t the zombies, but other living people. It’s truly a messed up world.”

“It always was,” replied Dave. “Even now, the undead can’t top the evil that still lurks in many of the living.”

15

Bryce

It took a while to convince Belinda that Luke was indeed her nephew, which was making him nervous. He knew her friends would be back soon, and when they saw him, he’d probably be a goner. The one thing he did have going for him was that Belinda was warming up to him.

A lot.

“So,” she purred, pouring both off them a shot of tequila, “you worked for my brother, huh?”

He nodded. “Just for a few weeks.”

“Mm – so what’d you think about him?”

He shrugged. “Kind of cheap but business smart.”

It was a safe answer.

“He WAS a cheapskate,” she said, raising her shot glass. “And may he rot in cheapskate hell.”

“Wow,” he said after drinking his shot. “He must have really been an asshole to you.”

She scowled. “I practically raised him,” she said, her eyes slightly glossy. “I spent most of my childhood wiping his nose and making sure he was fed. See, our dad died when we was really young, and mom, well she was always working. I mean she worked two damn jobs so we’d have a roof over our heads! Anyway, my no-good brother had the audacity to tell me to go to hell when I really needed him last year. I’d lost my job, my husband had cheated on me, and I needed some money. I asked if he could loan me a little until I got myself back on my feet and he said ‘no.’ Can you believe that crap?”

He poured her another shot and handed it to her. “That is bullshit. You don’t do that to your family,” he said as she downed the shot. “Especially to a sister who sacrificed so much for her little brother growing up.”

“You got that right,” she slurred, her eyes raking over his chest. She laid a hand on his pecs to steady herself. “By the way, I love your T-shirt.”

The way she was undressing him with her eyes indicated that she loved what was underneath the T-shirt even more. “It’s a little tight,” he replied. “Not mine.”

She caressed his chest. “You must work out. If your T-shirt’s too tight, maybe you should remove it, handsome.”

He ran a hand through his dark hair and smiled flirtatiously. “How about one more shot first? I guess I’m a little shy.”

She burst out laughing. “Oh, you are a tease, aren’t you? Okay. One more shot and then maybe we can lose my nephew for a little while and have ourselves a little ‘private’ party?”

“Maybe,” he answered, still smiling.

He poured two more shots and as she drank hers down, he quickly flung his over his shoulder instead of into his mouth. Fortunately, she was much too drunk to notice.

“Lithen,” she said, trying to focus out of the one eye she still had open. “I’m…”

Then both her eyes rolled back into her head. He caught her in his arms before she hit the floor.

“Now that’s a lightweight,” he said, relieved. “Hey, Luke?”

“Yeah?” he answered from the other end of the bar. He’d been sitting there and watching the entire time.

“She’s obviously ‘out.’ I’m going to take her back upstairs and put her into bed. We’re out of here as soon as I come back.”

“Okay.”

Bryce carried Belinda upstairs, tucked her in, and stuck her gun into the back of his pants. As he was making his way back downstairs to Luke, he heard loud voices, and his blood ran cold.

“Who in the hell are you, kid?” growled Charlie.

“Um, I’m Belinda’s nephew,” said Luke.

There was a long pause. “Is that so?”

“Hell yeah I am.”

“Tell me, kid, does your aunt know this?” asked Charlie. “Because she never mentioned you before.”

He snorted. “She was just down here talking with me. She had a couple shots of tequila and then needed to lie down.”

Bones chuckled. “Sounds like her.”

“You arrive here all by yourself?” asked Charlie. “No mommy or daddy, here?”

“I’m not two years old,” snapped Luke. “No, my mother and father are not here. They’re both dead.”

“Shit, sorry, kid. Good thing your aunt is still alive.”

“Yeah, at least I have Aunt Belinda,” lied Luke. “She’s all I have left.”

Bryce didn’t know what to do. He had a gun but there were more of them, and obviously, they were armed. He decided that Luke was probably safer if the men didn’t find him, so he snuck upstairs back into Belinda’s bedroom and opened up the window.

“Where’ you going, sexy?” slurred Belinda, looking up from the bed as he began climbing out.

“Your boyfriend’s back,” he whispered. “Belinda, we just had such an amazing round of sex, I mean it was spectacular. Shit, he’d probably kill me if he finds us together.”

She gave him a lopsided smile. “It wath pretty damn awthome,” she slurred. “You’d better get out of here while you haf the chance. Charlie’s got a real bad temper.”

He nodded. “Take care of your nephew, Luke. He’s a good kid.”

She closed her eyes and mumbled, “Don’t worry about him. I always take care of my family, one way or another.”

***

Snowflakes and bright stars lit up the nighttime sky as he walked. They fell all around him, light and cool on his skin.

“Bryce!”

He turned around and his breath caught in his throat. A beautiful girl with long, dark hair smiled at him in the distance. She wore a flowing white dress and there was a shimmery light surrounding her pale skin.

She held out her hand, beckoning. “Come here!”

He smiled and began walking toward her. Something about this girl was so familiar, but he couldn’t quite place it.

“Hurry up, pokey,” she teased.

“I’m coming,” he replied.

Her brown eyes were dazzling and he felt something tugging at his heart as he drew closer. Just as he was about to grab her hand, she picked up the bottom of her dress and began running away.

“Wait!” he called after her.

She looked back at him and giggled. “Can’t catch me!”

He grinned and then began chasing her through the woods. He hadn’t felt so free or happy for a long time. He could spend all day chasing this beautiful little flirt.

Then he noticed the cliff.

“Wait!” he cried in horror.

She turned back toward him and laughed again. “Don’t be a chicken, come on!”

“No, stop!”

She didn’t notice the cliff until it was too late. She slipped over it as if in slow motion, and her screams of terror echoed throughout the woods. “Bryyyyccce!” she cried, reaching up toward him as her body fell toward the ocean and rocks below.

“Cassie!” he choked, kneeling over the edge.

***

Bryce woke from the dream in the early hours of the morning and stared up the street toward the bar where he’d abandoned Luke. He was responsible for putting him in such a dangerous situation, and was determined to make it right. When Charlie and his crew left again, he would rescue the boy and get the hell out of Atlanta. But for now, he’d just sit and wait. As far as he knew, he had nowhere else to be.

He ran a hand through his hair. Although he’d remembered his name, his mind was still muddled, and everything else was a mystery. Even the girl in the dream, he wasn’t sure if she was someone he used to know, or a just a figment of his imagination.

Sudden movements by the bar caught his attention. Charlie, along with his two goons, were leaving the place, and they appeared to be stumbling and drunker than all hell. Unfortunately, this time, Luke was with them.

“Going to make a man out of you yet, kid!” roared Charlie with laughter, his voice echoing down the street. “Make your aunt proud!”

“Shit,” muttered Bryce, running a hand over his face.

The four of them got into the pickup truck, and after a few minutes, it began to move down the dark streets. From the sloppy way Charlie was driving, it was fortunate that there weren’t many zombies cluttering the road, or it would have gotten really ugly.

He waited until they were far enough away, then started his engine and began following without using his headlights. As he followed Charlie, he noticed they were moving less than twenty miles an hour; zombies stumbled faster than that. It then occurred to him that the group was on the hunt for women, like they’d talked about before. The thought of that put a sour taste in his mouth.

After about an hour of driving without apparent success, Charlie changed his speed and they eventually pulled in front of a luxury hotel where they were greeted on the curb by two well-dressed men carrying assault rifles. Charlie spoke to the men for a few minutes and then finally got out of the truck, taking Luke with him. As he watched them disappear into the hotel, he experienced a dark feeling of dread.

Two Days Later…

Cassie

16

I’m not sure which woke me first, the horrifying screams, or feeling so parched that my lips felt like dried cement. One thing I knew for certain, I’d been asleep for far too long and was no longer among friends.

My eyelids felt weighted down and kept refusing to respond. When I finally managed to lift them, I thought for a moment that I was still trapped in a nightmare, because the scene unfolding near me was too horrible to be real. But then I remembered I was living in some sort of crazy zombie apocalypse and disturbing images were now the norm.

“Help…” gurgled the bloody soldier curled up just outside of my cell.

I blinked and sat up.

My cell?

His hand reached toward me but there was nothing I could do for him, even if I’d wanted to. Attached to his torso was a zombie who seemed to be relishing every morsel of the warm dinner.

“Oh, God!” I choked in horror, thankful that there were metal bars separating us.

The zombie moaned in pleasure and then lifted its rotted face, staring at me absently while chewing on a piece of the man’s flesh. That, the horrifying stench of death, and the bloody gristle smeared across the floor did me in. I soon found myself hurling violently over the side of the cot. Because there wasn’t much in my tummy, dry heaves soon followed.

“Eck…” I whimpered. I don’t know why, but puking always brought me to tears.

When I was finished spitting out the last of the acidy foam, my throat and chest were sore from heaving. I brushed away the tears and lay my head back down, closing my eyes.

Mom, I thought; aching for her comforting presence. I missed her so much and felt like the distance between us was growing every day. I knew she and my sister needed me though, so I reached deep inside and found the strength I needed to get moving. There was absolutely no time for melancholy.

Opening my eyes once again, I swung my feet over the cot and stood up on trembling legs. It was then that I noticed I was wearing some sort of hospital gown, and underneath it, I was butt-naked.

What the hell?

My mind was still pretty muddled, but I somewhat recalled struggling with Eva, and then her actually sinking her teeth into my flesh. I looked down at the back of my leg and found that the wound she’d given me was healing surprisingly well.

The zombie, only now figuring out that he had a living person with fresh blood just a few feet away from him, stood up and tried reaching for me through the bars.

The lustful hunger in the zombie’s reddened eyes stirred my temper. I glanced down at his soldier who, thankfully, was no longer suffering, and looked back up at the zombie, glaring at him. “Finish your meal before you go for seconds, you greedy son-of-a-bitch.”

The zombie growled and continued to reach for me, getting more aggravated by the minute.

I shook my head in disgust and decided to ignore him for now. Instead, I took slow and steady steps around my cell, looking for clothing or something I could use as a weapon. Not finding anything but a few empty IV bags and some Ace bandages, I knew my situation was bleak. Not only would I be pretty defenseless against the zombie, but my bare ass was hanging out. Sure, I’d been through a lot in the last few days, but my modesty was still somewhat intact.

“Hey,” hollered a shadow in the cell across from mine.  It was a girl’s voice.

I took a step forward. “Hello?”

The zombie was also caught by surprise. It jerked around and half dragged its gruesome body toward the other cell.

“Get the keys, Wild,” demanded the other prisoner.

My jaw dropped.

No freakin’ way!

“Oh my God, Nora!” I cried. “You’re alive!”

She snorted. “If that’s what you want to call it. Now move your skinny ass over to the dead soldier and grab the keys so we can get the hell out of here.”

“Um, okay,” I said, moving toward the slimy mess the zombie had left of the disfigured man. I shuddered in disgust as I stuck my hand through the bars and reached for his pockets. When I touched the ring of keys, I sighed with relief.

Nora came out of the shadows and I noticed that she was also dressed in a hospital gown.

“You want some of this, zombie boy?” she taunted. Nora then turned around and shook her own bare butt at the zombie, who stared at her white cheeks in fascination.

Yeah, it was a pretty disturbing scene.

I cleared my throat and she glanced back at me while I held up the keys to show her I’d been successful.

“Good, I’ll keep him busy while you get out and pound the living crap out of him,” she said.

“Easy for you to say,” I said. “Unless I have a gun or something to stab him with, this thing won’t be easy to keep down.”

She pointed to the gun on the floor lying near the zombie. “Problem solved.”

I nodded and looked through the ring of keys. The zombie apparently heard me jingling them because it turned back toward me and made a strange gurgling noise.

“Hey, ugly,” called Nora, trying to regain his attention.

He looked back at her in confusion, probably wondering which of us to eat first.

With a mocking grin, she flicked her tongue across her arm. “Mmm… this is so yummy,” she said, licking her lips. “You want some of this, don’t you, freak-show? Yeah, come closer… come on…”

The zombie grasped the bars of her cell and started shaking them in frustration, trying to get to the snack that was just out of reach.

I quietly turned the key in my lock and swung the door open. As I tiptoed and reached for the soldier’s gun, the zombie turned to me and gave me a sickening grin.

The buffet was actually coming to him!

“You’re such a glutton,” I muttered and then aimed the pistol at his head. Unfortunately, when I pulled the trigger, nothing happened. Sweat trickled down my back and I began to panic. "Nora, it's empty!”

The zombie, who thankfully, was missing part of his foot, stumbled slowly toward me as I tried keeping my distance, now looking desperately for something to hit him with.

“Just kick him backwards and then use the gun itself to pound the crap out of his face.”

“Oh,” I said, thinking that made sense.

I moved forward and kicked him as hard as I could; knocking him to the ground. Then I smashed the gun into his face several times. When it was all over, his rotted brains were splattered across the floor like mud and I was feeling much better.

“Wow,” said Nora with a satisfied grin, “and I kind of thought you were a candy-ass. I guess that also means you’re over that germ phobia of yours now?”

I shrugged and opened her cell door. “A little bit.”

She studied me. “Don’t mean to sound like a bitch, but you really look like crap, Wild.”

I stared back at her and was amazed that she looked so good. The dark makeup was gone and she actually looked… pretty. With her large blue eyes and pale skin, she almost reminded me of Dakota Fanning. “Wish I could say the same of you,” I answered. “This zombie apocalypse seems to have brought out your eyes.”

She snorted and brushed past me. “Not by choice. I feel naked without my eyeliner.”

“Hey,” I said catching up to her. “So how in the world did you get here?”

“It’s a long story, I’ll explain it sometime if we live that long,” she answered. “Let’s find clothes and get the hell out of this place before we run into more zombies or soldiers.”

“So, why exactly are we running from the soldiers?” I asked in confusion. I still had no idea what was going on.

She stopped abruptly and turned to me. “Because, they’re the ones who locked us up in the first place; they’ve been holding both of us prisoner, and if they catch us, they’ll throw us back in the slammer.”

“But… why?”

“Because they need you. As for me, I’m just too much trouble to let go.”

I looked at her incredulously. “They need me? That doesn’t make sense. How long have I been here?”

“A few days, maybe… I really don’t know.”

I felt dizzy. Things were worse than I thought.  “I’ve been here for three or four days?”

She shrugged.

“What happened to my dad and Bryce?” I rubbed my forehead. “How in the hell did I end up in this place?”

“Sorry, I don’t know anything about them.”

“Jesus, I have to find my family,” I said.

She nodded. “Fine, let’s get our hands on some clothes and weapons first.”

I followed her down the corridor.

“So, where are we?” I asked.

“We’re in Atlanta, in some kind of temporary holding cell at the CDC.”

My heart began to race. “We’re at the CDC?” I wanted to shout with joy. Finally, a break! My mother and sister had to be somewhere close.

“Yeah, but don’t get too excited. There have been a lot of zombie attacks and things aren’t looking good here for anyone. I think that’s why they were holding you in this place, to study you and keep you from leaving.”

“I still don’t understand why they would do that?”

She stopped again and stared at me. “From what I could tell from last few conversations with these quacks, you beat the virus.”

“What?”

“Yeah, Wild. The soldiers were talking about you. They said your blood is good. Some scientist wearing a lab coat came in and performed a few tests. When it was all said and done, I overheard them say your body’s built a natural immunity to the zombie virus. You know what that means?”

“That… they might be able to create a vaccine or something?”

She sighed. “What it really means is that your life is no longer your own, especially if you’re caught. You’re a goldmine to these guys, and they won’t let you go if they catch you. Not ever.”

17

As we continued to search the facility, my mind was racing. I still couldn’t believe what Nora had said, that I’d actually beaten the virus. Did that mean that Allie was alive and well? I could only pray my sister was doing okay.

“Supply room,” said Nora, after opening one of several doors in the hallway. The room was a little dark, but we did our best to rummage through the shelves, which unfortunately, were mostly barren.

“Thank God,” I said, finding a large unopened bottle of water. I took a few sips and listened as Nora crunched down on some crackers she’d found.

“Cheapskates only fed me once a day,” she said through a mouthful of crackers. “At least they had an I.V. in you for a while; although,” she said, “you look like a twig right now.”

I had noticed my legs were even bonier than ever.

“Here,” she said, handing me some crackers. “Knock yourself out.”

My stomach growled in response. “Thanks.”

“So much for finding something else to wear,” she said.

It was true, the supply cabinet held a bunch of cleaning and medical supplies, but no clothing.

“I wonder where our stuff is,” I said. “Not that I had much when I arrived…”

Nora grabbed my arm. “Listen,” she whispered.

Shouts and gunfire echoed somewhere in the building.

“We have to get the hell out of here,” she said.

“Wait,” I said, then grabbed a metal walking cane I’d noticed sitting on one of the shelves. It seemed heavy enough and could possibly do some kind of damage. “Okay, let’s go.”

She snickered at my weapon and then looked around for something to defend herself with. When she came up with some sort of hacksaw, I couldn’t believe her luck. It might not do much against the soldiers, but it would probably come in handy against the zombies.

“You know what they use this for?” she asked.

“No, not really.”

Her eyes grew round. “Lobotomies.”

I shuddered. “Wow… that’s disturbing.”

Nora smiled wickedly. “Come on, Wild, let’s go give some.”

***

We made our way down several hallways until we reached the front entrance of the building, where we found two other soldiers on the ground, dead.

“Okay, those guys certainly weren’t killed by zombies,” I said, noticing the bullet holes.

She nodded. “Yeah, and from my experience these last few days, they might be renegades.”

“Renegades?”

“Yes, thieves basically. You haven’t run into any of those yet, huh? Lucky you. There are some real assholes out there, taking total advantage of this new zombie apocalypse. Believe it or not, some people are having the time of their lives right now.”

“That’s right,” said a gravelly voice behind us. “Everything’s ripe for the pickings, why let it go to waste?”

Nora and I turned around and found what had to be two of the ugliest human beings left on the planet. One of them was a tall, skinny dude with long, stringy, hair and missing teeth; the few he had were blackish-yellow and crooked. The other one was a squat, dumpy, man with some kind of crazy, lazy eye that darted all over the room. Unfortunately, at the moment, his good one rested on my legs.

“Can I have the skinny one with the cane?” asked the short one, licking his wormy lips. “Please, Dewey?” He reminded me of an old bulldog with his dark, watery eyes and drooling jowls.

Nora burst out laughing. “Dewey? What kind of pansy name is that?”

Dewey smiled coldly and raised his gun toward her head. “The kind that’s going to blow your brains out if you don’t shut the hell up.”

“Um,” I said, raising my hand, trying to defuse the situation. “I’m sorry; she didn’t mean anything by that. We’ve just been through a lot of stress these last few days.”

Dewey shrugged. “Well, then the bimbo better keep her pie-hole shut if she wants to live any longer.”

Looking back now, I’d say it was very fortunate for us that Nora hadn’t yet learned to control her temper, even with her martial arts training. I held my breath and watched in morbid fascination as she erupted like a volcano and let out a shriek so loud, it would have woken the dead if they hadn’t already been wandering the streets.

“Asshole!” she screamed, launching herself at Dewey, slamming him to the ground. She was much smaller than he, but she packed some real powerful punches, and that’s exactly what she started doing to his face. He’d somehow lost the grip on his gun and I knew with a burning rage like hers, it was all over for him.

The stunned look on Dewey’s craggily face was enough to wake me up. I moved toward Wandering Eye and kicked him in the face so hard, I’m pretty sure I corrected his vision.

“Oh, my God, you bitch!” he growled, holding his bloody nose.

“Really? That’s so… original,” I said.

“You’re dead,” he spat, moving toward me. “I’m going to kill you and then really have some fun.”

That sounded a little creepy and not in my best interest. Before he lived up to his sick fantasies, I picked up a metal chair and slammed it against his head. He fell to the ground and groaned.

“Are we done?” I asked. “I’m tired and I have more important things to do than deal with you.”

“Whore,” he whispered in anguish, reaching toward his ankle. It was then I noticed the gun holstered to it.

“I’ll take that,” I said, kicking at his hand. I grabbed the gun and pointed it at him. “Last chance to stop embarrassing yourself.”

“Screw you. That’s my gun, bitch.”

I cocked the gun, but really only to scare him. Even though he was an asshole, I wasn’t about to kill anyone still breathing if I could help it. The zombies would eventually get their hands on him anyway. “Listen, creep, we’re leaving with the gun. You should probably take a break anyway,” I said. “Your, um, face looks a little more messed up than usual.”

The look he gave me would haunt my dreams even more than some of the zombie horror I’d witnessed in the last few days. One eye burned into mine with murderous rage, the other stared furiously at some kind of wart at the tip of his nose. It was… unsettling.

“You’re crazy. I hope a zombie eats your brains,” he growled. Then he groaned and put his head in his hands.

At least he knew when to finally give up.

I glanced at Nora to see if she needed help, but she was still pounding Dewey in the face, who I think may have stopped fighting some time ago.

“Nora,” I said evenly. “He’s either dead or going to wake up needing something much stronger than aspirin. Come on, let’s get the heck out of here before someone or thing shows up.”

Nora was still breathing heavily when she finally lifted herself off of Dewey’s still form. Just when I thought she was finished with him, she kicked him in the side of his stomach one last time. “Nobody calls me a bimbo,” she growled.

And I thought my temper was bad.

Keeping my eyes on Wandering Eye, who now looked like he may have passed out from his injuries, I studied the gun I’d taken and it appeared to be a Sig Sauer P226. It was also loaded. Things were definitely looking up.

The sound of gunshots from somewhere outside startled us both and we rushed over to look out the glass entrance.

“More zombies,” grimaced Nora. “And someone else is definitely packing heat.”

Several zombies were shuffling around in the courtyard surrounding our building, but no sign of the shooter.

“Okay,” I whispered. “I’m going to try and make a run for it so I can get to the main building. I have to see if my parents or sister are in there.”

Nora shook her head. “Actually, they’ve pretty much evacuated the entire area after the zombies started busting through. You’ll be wasting your time.”

“Well, then what am I supposed to do now?” I asked, my voice becoming shrill. “Where in the hell am I supposed to go to find them?”

“Calm down, Wild,” she said evenly. “You’re not the only one looking for answers. In fact, that’s why I crossed several states to get here. My dad is also here in Atlanta, too. They flew him over from Europe a week ago.”

“Why? Was he bitten?”

She bit the side of her lip and nodded. “He was, and Bernie, his manager, found a way to get him over here before all hell broke out in the U.S. I guess the remaining researchers left at the CDC have been looking for this scientist who’d been experimenting with an antivirus. The last time I spoke to Bernie was four days ago, and I’m just as lost as you are.”

“We have to find out where they moved everyone. Let’s try and find someone still breathing around here who can answer questions.”

She nodded and then lifted Dewey’s gun. “I’m ready when you are.”

18

We left the building and stepped outside into the daylight, where we were now at the mercy of the zombies. Actually, the zombies were now at the mercy of Nora and her pent-up aggressions from being an abandoned rock star’s daughter.

“Save the bullets if you can, Wild,” she hollered at me. She’d also grabbed the hacksaw and looked more than ready to use it.

“I’ll try,” I answered as two zombies headed my way immediately. I took a deep breath and kicked one in the head and then turned to bash the other one in the eye with the cane.

I could really use some steel-toed boots right about now, I thought as I watched the first zombie, a guy who may have once been cute before his face began to fall apart, get back to his feet. He came at me quickly, with his gnarly black mouth open wide, and I rammed the cane through his skull.

“Here comes a shitload more. Step it up, Wild!” yelled Nora, who’d just given a really close shave to a zombie who looked disappointed with the results.

We moved toward the main building, which was an impressive sight. It was several stories high and made of mostly glass. I half expected it to be locked, but the doors swung open the moment we approached them. Because there weren’t any guards watching over the entrance, we rushed inside.

“Uh oh,” said Nora, pointing toward the security booth next to the elevators.

There was blood, pools of it, some on the security booth and more smeared across the floor. Other than that, there was no sign of anyone in the entry area, dead or alive.

“We’d better take the stairs,” said Nora. “I’m not getting trapped in an elevator. That shit really freaks me out. Seriously.”

I definitely didn’t want to see Nora when she was seriously freaked out.

She pointed. “This way, Wild.”

I followed her to a stairwell near the elevators and we opened the door slowly, listening for any sounds.

“Seems quiet but you never know. Stay close,” she whispered, raising the gun.

We walked up slowly and started exploring each floor, looking for any signs of life. Unfortunately, the first few consisted of nothing but the horrifying stench of decay and a few zombies shuffling around.

“This is beginning to feel like a waste of time,” said Nora after we cleared the first few floors.

“Well, I have to keep going,” I said. “It’s the only place with the answers as to what happened to Allie. And your old man.”

She didn’t say anything.

The following floor was even more infested with zombies but still no breathing humans and we ended up using the rest of our bullets. By the time we’d cleared it, I was lightheaded and ready to pass out.

“I’m so dizzy and hungry,” I said. “If we run into any more zombies, I don’t even know if I’ll be able to defend myself. At least one of us will eat, I guess.”

“No shit, we could both use some food or coffee. Jesus, they have to have a lunchroom or vending machine in this building.”

“You’d think.”

We headed up another flight of stairs, and as she was about to grab the handle, it swung open and I almost fell to my knees with relief.

“Billie!” I cried, throwing my arms around him. “Oh, my God, what are you doing here?”

“Cassie!” he smiled and held me tight. “I’ve been looking all over for you and your family. I just about gave up. ”

I pulled away. “I take it you didn’t see anyone else around here, either?”

He shook his head. “No, I was just coming back down to search the next building over.”

“Did you find any grub?” asked Nora.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” said Billie, holding out his hand. “I’m Billie.”

She ignored it. “Yeah, congratulations. I’m Nora,” she replied. “Do you have anything to eat?”

He shook his head. “No. The food’s been confiscated here already. There’s not even anything in the vending machines.”

“Shoot,” I said.

“Um, did I miss the slumber party?” he asked, his eyebrow’s raised. “I haven’t seen this much skin since my cable television died.”

I then remembered what we were wearing and how our butts were both visible from behind.

Nora scowled. “This wasn’t the kind of slumber party you’d be interested in.”

“What do you mean?” he asked.

“Well, first of all… I was bitten by a zombie,” I shrugged. “And survived.”

His jaw dropped. “When? How?”

“They brought a comatose Wild in a few days ago and she made a full recovery. They started experimenting on both of us then.”

He looked at me. “But Cassie, you must have some kind of immunity to the virus; that’s good, right?”

I nodded. “It is… but not if they’re going to hold me prisoner. I have to find my family.”

“Your sister, she might have immunity, too,” he said.

I nodded. “I hope so.”

“Let’s get out of here, there isn’t anything upstairs,” he said. “I have the SUV parked in the attached garage.”

“Were there many zombies in the garage?” I asked.

“A few, but nothing like what surrounds the rest of the building.”

We followed him all the way down to the underground parking lot and he turned to us. “Normally I’d let you ladies go first, especially with what you’re wearing, but I’m feeling like a gentleman today.”

Nora touched the back of her gown and grunted.

“Go first,” I said, scanning around for zombies. “I’m not going to argue with you.”

There were a few zombies but nothing we couldn’t handle. When we finally made it to the safety of the SUV, I closed my eyes, finally feeling somewhat safe again.

***

“Nice ride,” said Nora, stretching her legs out in the backseat.

“So, how in the world did you end up here, Billie?” I asked, sitting up.

He sighed. “My family was missing when I made it to Florida. I don’t know if my parents were killed or turned into zombies. They’d vanished by the time I reached their condo. I searched most of the city without any luck. The hospitals, the shopping malls, even the place they liked playing Bingo, but found nothing but death, zombies, and nightmares. I eventually just gave up and left. I remembered that your sister was being held here and decided to try my luck, to see if I could find you.”

I grabbed his hand and squeezed it. “I’m sorry about your parents. Do you think they could have escaped somehow and survived?” I asked.

“I can only hope that’s what happened. Good news is that my dad is ex-military. He’s one crafty son-of-a-bitch, too. If anyone can make it through this mess, it’s him.”

“See? Don’t give up hope,” I said.

He nodded. “After running into you, there’s no way I’m giving up hope.”

I smiled. “So, where are Shane and Dale?”

His lips tightened. “They were killed.”

I felt like someone had knocked the wind out of me “Oh, no,” I whispered in horror. “Zombies?”

He shook his head. “No, some kind of band of thieves. I was following behind Dale when they stopped for what looked like people just needing assistance. I had a bad feeling about it, however, and stayed farther behind. The killers took the vehicle and shot them without hesitation. I barely made it out of there alive, myself.”

“Oh, my God,” I choked.

“Told you,” muttered Nora. “We’re not safe from anyone.”

Billie nodded. “Yeah, the danger isn’t just the zombies anymore. Some of the survivors have turned into outlaws, and if you have something they want, they’ll shoot you for it without a second thought.”

I closed my eyes and rubbed my forehead. “Well, what now? We need food, clothing, and ammo. You wouldn’t want to try a Walmart again?”

He shook his head. “Oh, no that’s way too dangerous, now. We’ll have better chances of finding the stuff abandoned in someone’s home.”

I tapped my fingertips on the side door. “Well, it certainly doesn’t sound like we have any other choice,” I said. “I could use a shower anyway. Then I need to find a charged cell phone to see if I can reach my dad or Bryce. If I can’t get ahold of them, then I’ll have to return to the CDC and look for clues as to where they may have moved everyone.”

He nodded. “Okay, let’s find something farther away from this part of the city. It will lessen the chances of someone noticing us. Someone with bad intentions.”

“Sounds good,” I said.

Billie started up the SUV just as a couple of zombies staggered into the parking garage and headed toward us.

“Looks like we’ll need a truck wash as well as gas.” He grimaced after catching one who launched at us. The entire hood of the dark SUV was waxed with a fresh coat of gore.

“Yeah, that was real nasty,” replied Nora. “So, do you have any food in this jalopy?”

It’s amazing how desensitized you can get in a zombie-crazed world, I thought, staring back at her with amusement.

“I have a couple bags of chips in the back,” said Billie. “And some soda if you need anything to drink.”

“Hell yes,” said Nora, grabbing a bag of sour cream and onion potato chips. She tore open the bag and started stuffing her face. She suddenly remembered the rest of us and smiled sheepishly. “Want some?”

“Yeah,” I said, as she handed me the bag.

“So, what happened to lover-boy?” asked Billie.

I raised my eyebrows. “Bryce?”

“Yeah, that’s the name.”

God, I wish I knew.

“I guess I don’t know. The last thing I remembered before the coma was being bitten by Eva, who’d turned into a zombie, and then waking up in a prison cell. I can’t remember anything else beyond that.”

“I’ll bet the soldiers took you from your dad,” said Nora through a mouthful of chips. “Maybe they promised him they’d help you.”

That made sense. I couldn’t imagine my dad just abandoning me. And Bryce, he’d just admitted he loved me and didn’t seem the type to just walk away, either. My heart swelled when I thought about the look in his clear blue eyes when he’d admitted is feelings. I prayed to God that I’d see him again. I prayed he was safe.

“Don’t worry,” said Billie. “We’ll figure out what happened, Wild. I’ll help.”

We drove away from the heart of Atlanta, which was crawling with zombies, most of them decaying rapidly and fighting with each other for mere scraps of food. As we traveled south and away from the busier parts of the city, passing smaller ranches and farmland, the zombies became scarce and eventually, we started scouting for abandoned homes to find a little refuge and supplies.

“Those look pretty quiet,” said Billie, pointing to a block of newly constructed homes basically in the middle of nowhere. Most of them were still under construction or surrounded by several plots of land for sale.

“Looks okay, I guess,” I said, although my palms grew sweaty as I stared at the homes anxiously.

19

Billie pulled up to one of homes, a split-level brick and wooden monster with a ginormous swimming pool in the back. The three-car garage was open but there weren’t any cars parked inside. That seemed like a good sign.

“Looks like someone cleared out the garage,” said Billie. “Pretty odd, too. I mean, there’s hardly anything left; no tools, shovels, rakes, or anything you’d normally find.”

“Maybe the homeowners were moving when the shit hit the fan,” said Nora.

“Or maybe they were ransacked,” he replied.

We all got out of the truck and followed Billie to the front door, where he rang the doorbell. “Old habits,” he said, smiling down at me.

When nobody answered, we found that it was locked.

“That’s a good sign, nobody’s looted it yet,” said Nora after trying the inner garage door, which was also locked.

Billie broke the glass plate next to the front door and reached inside to unlock it.

“Jesus,” gagged Nora as we stepped inside.

The house was stifling hot and smelled like old cabbage and sewer water.

“It’s got to be rotting food,” I said as we walked into the kitchen. “I’m checking the bathroom to see if they have any Vicks.”

“Vicks?” said Nora.

I nodded. “It smells better than rotting food and zombies.”

“You surprise me more and more every hour, Wild,” she laughed. “Who’d have known that a germaphobic jock like you would have been such a successful zombie survivor?”

“Let’s see what they have for food. Check the cupboards,” said Billie.

We started rummaging through the cabinets and found plenty of canned food.

“I can’t believe someone left all of this,” I said.

“They probably turned into zombies and didn’t need it anymore,” said Billie. “Obviously, whoever cleared out the garage never made it inside or we wouldn’t be this fortunate.”

“Looks like we have a rum and Coke drinker,” said Nora as she pulled out a case of pop and an empty rum bottle. She smiled and opened up a can of pop then started chugging it down.

I found a jar of unopened pickles and my stomach growled its approval.

“Guess what, ladies? The water still works,” said Billie.

“Thank God,” I said between pickle crunches. “I’m taking the first shower.”

“I’m next,” said Nora.

Okay, you girls do what you have to do, and I’ll start packing up the food,” said Billie.

I stuffed another pickle into my mouth and headed upstairs where I found three bedrooms, two were children’s, and the third appeared to be an adult’s.

“Looks like someone did leave quickly,” said Billie, coming up behind me.

“Strange, huh?” I said, looking through the closets.

Why would someone take all of the clothes, but leave the food?

Unfortunately, as I searched through the parents’ clothing, I found nothing but two strange-looking dresses, which weren’t my style, but beat what I was currently wearing.

“Here are some shoes, see if they fit,” said Billie as he threw a pair of white pumps at my feet.

“Great,” I mumbled. High heels and a dress so short, it left little to the imagination.

“Look at what we have here,” smiled Billie, bending over a small lingerie chest. He held up a bra and panties. “You’ll need these.”

My cheeks burning, I grabbed the undergarments and headed for the bathroom.

“Thank God,” I said when I walked in. Shampoo, shower gel, and a razor were also forgotten in the shower.

“Need a towel or do you plan on air drying?” asked Billie from the doorway, holding a ratty old white towel that appeared clean.

“Thanks,” I said.

“By the way, if you need any help with anything, all you have to do is ask,” he said, crossing his arms over his chest.

I raised my eyebrows and his lips twisted into a devilish grin.

“Um, I’m okay,” I said.

He laughed and then left me alone in the bathroom, which I quickly locked. I trusted Billie, but ever since I found out he wasn’t gay, I was more aware of him as a dude; a very cute dude.

A half hour later, I stepped out of the bedroom, feeling halfway human again, even though the undergarments were a little loose and the dress barely made it to my thighs.

“Wow, Wild, you trying to raise the dead in that outfit?” smirked Nora as I staggered into the kitchen wearing the white pumps.

I looked down. “Well, there really wasn’t much to choose from. Don’t worry, though, there’s another skimpy one like this on the bed that I left for you.”

She sighed. “I guess it’s a whole lot better than letting the world stare at my ass,” she said.

“Oh, I don’t know,” said Billie. “It’s a good distraction for the enemy, dead or alive.”

We both turned and rolled our eyes at him this time.

He pointed toward my pumps. “The shoes fit, too,” said Billie. “I really like those.”

“Not exactly the zombie ass-kicking outfit I’d have chosen,” I said.

“But everyone can appreciate a nice pair of high heels,” said Billie. “They raise the butt.”

Nora snorted. “Typical man.”

I would have loved to have seen Nora’s expression when Billie was wearing heels.

“I don’t know, maybe I’m better without them. They’re a little hard to walk in,” I said. I felt like a new foal walking around in the pumps. I’d never been much for high heels.

“They double as a weapon, though,” said Billie. “The heels are sharp and if anything, you can just carry them around and throw them at your enemies, like they used to do on the Jerry Springer show.”

“I don’t care. The moment I find a pair of tennis shoes or boots, these are getting tossed into the streets,” I said.

“There you go,” he said. “Get your hands on a good pair of heeled boots, and you can’t go wrong.”

“Right…” I said, smiling at his dorkiness.

Nora took her time in the shower and when she came down to the kitchen, she was scowling. “What in the hell was up with the woman of the house? She must have been a stripper or something.”

I bit back a smile. Her dress was skimpier than mine and she wore sliver platform sandals. Interestingly enough, she was much better with heels than I was.

“I think we should go next door and see if there are more appropriate clothes available,” I said.

Just then Billie, who’d been packing the SUV with more supplies, came rushing into the kitchen. “We have company and they don’t look friendly,” he said.

Nora and I rushed to the front of the house and peeked out the window. Three burly biker-type guys had pulled up in a large pickup and were heading toward the front door, carrying guns.

“Did they see you?” I asked.

He sighed. “Probably.

“Shit, we need weapons,” snapped Nora, clacking into the kitchen with her heels. Fortunately, the butcher block still had knives and we grabbed them.

“Do you have the keys to the SUV?” I whispered to Billie as we snuck out the kitchen patio door.

“Shit,” he said, feeling in his pockets. “I think I might have left them on the back bumper of the SUV.”

“Nice going, Sherlock,” snapped Nora.

“Hey, you should be lucky I found you,” he snapped back. “You probably would have been zombie food by now if I hadn’t bumped into you when I did.”

“Bullshit, we were doing just fine without you,” glared Nora.

“Quit fighting,” I hissed. “Let’s just sneak around to the SUV and get the hell out of here.”

We crept around to the front of the house and Billie grabbed the keys, which were actually lying on the ground behind the SUV.

“Leaving so soon?” snorted a greasy-haired guy with tattoos all over his thick arms. He spat out a wad of tobacco and cocked his gun.

“Listen, we don’t want any trouble,” said Billie, raising his hands. “You can have whatever you want.”

The other two guys, both muscle-bound and scarier than all crap, stepped out of the house and cocked their guns. “See, I told you I saw something,” said the shorter guy with a thin, white scar on the side of his cheek.

The taller one with a goatee, who appeared to be the leader, nodded. “Good job, Bones,” he said in a deep, gravelly voice. “You three, toss the knives away and get on the ground.”

“I think we got ourselves a couple of strippers,” chuckled Scarface, smiling down at us in amusement as we got on our knees.

Nora opened her mouth to correct him but he’d given me an idea, so I cut her off.

“Yeah,” I said, trying to smile as friendly as I could under the circumstances. “You’re right. At least, we used to.”

“Strippers, huh?” asked Bones. “You look familiar. Did you used to work over at Shorty’s?”

“Once in a while,” I lied. “But our specialty used to be totally nude private parties, where we had more freedom to do what we wanted. Man, we rocked at those.”

Billie raised his eyebrows.

The leader rubbed his goatee. “Nude, huh? So I suppose you’re thinking we’ll let you live if you have something else worth more value?”

Nora, who I have learned to never underestimate, played along. She stood up and hiked her dress up a little further. “Oh, I know we have something else of value that is pretty rare these days. And I just showered, baby.”

“Sounds good to me!” said Bones as he grabbed Nora’s arm and started leading her into the house. “I’ll take this one.”

“Shit, we really don’t have time for this,” grumbled the leader. “I told Belinda we’d be back before dark, and it’s getting late.”

“Belinda, is she your girlfriend?” I asked, sticking my chest and my butt out, like Eva used to around Bryce.

His eyes raked over my body and his eyes darkened. “Um, not really,” he said. “Fact is, I never said we were exclusive.”

That was all I needed. I swung my hips and walked toward him, trying not to trip on the heels. When I stood directly in front of him, I fluttered my eyelashes. “You know, I so love a man with a goatee.”

“If you don’t take this one, Charlie, I will,” said Scarface, coming up behind me.

Charlie swore under his breath. “Okay, watch pretty-boy here while I see what she has under that little piece of cloth.”

“Fine,” he said. “But I’m next, though.”

Charlie grabbed my arm and pulled me into the house, where it seemed deathly quiet. “Upstairs,” he said. “You go first, sweetheart.”

I went ahead of him and I could feel the heat of his eyes burning into my rear. I led him to one of the smaller bedrooms and he closed the door behind us, locking it.

“Okay, show me what you got,” he said with a lustful gleam in his eyes.

“I’d feel better if you weren’t pointing the gun at me,” I said softly.

“Okay. But no funny business,” he replied, sticking the gun in the back of his jeans.

“Um, it’s hard without music,” I said.

“I’ve got a flute you can play,” he said with a creepy smile.

Gross.

“Why don’t you sit down on the bed?” I pointed.

“Good idea,” he said, walking over and sitting down on the small twin bed.

My heart was beating rapidly and I wasn’t even sure what to do next.

“Well, what are you waiting for?” he said. “Take it off.”

I curled my finger. “Actually, why don’t you come and help me,” I said.

“Jesus, make up your damn mind,” he muttered.

“Sorry, but I like to watch you move. You’re so big and burly,” I swallowed back the bile rising in my throat. “It... turns me on.”

He grinned proudly and stood up. Just as I was about to deliver a roundhouse kick to his face, there was a soft knock at the door.

“What in the hell?” growled Charlie as he turned away from me and stormed toward the door. When he opened it, Nora stood on the other side, holding a gun.

“I need to borrow some sugar,” she murmured and then pulled the trigger.

The gun exploded and Charlie fell backwards as the bullet penetrated his left eye. Blood and brain cartilage sprayed everywhere; the walls, the carpeting, even the blinds.

“Oh, my God,” I croaked, staring at her in shock.

“Let’s go,” she said.

I stepped over the bloody mess that was once Charlie, and tried not to get anything on my heels. “I can’t believe you shot him just like that.”

“Had to. You know he would have killed all of us if given the chance,” she answered. “Now quit being such a pansy, Wild, and grab his gun.”

The sound of the gun going off had been loud and I only hoped that Scarface hadn’t noticed it. “Yeah, but I could have taken him out quietly,” I said. “Now the third gunman knows someone was shot. He’s probably ready for us.”

Just then, Billie walked through the bedroom door with a gun and a horrified expression. “Jesus, I guess you two took care of Charlie.”

“Great observation,” snorted Nora. “I knew there was a reason we kept you around.”

“What about the guy with the scar?” I asked him as he glared at Nora.

“Oh, don’t worry about him,” he said, turning back to me. “I guess he got so worked up thinking about you girls, that I had his gun before he even knew what hit him.”

“Let’s get out of here,” said Nora. “Before any zombies smell the fresh scent of blood and think we’re having a party.”

“Good idea,” said Billie.

We followed him back downstairs and got into the SUV.

“Look, they’re already on it,” pointed Nora.

“How in the hell do they do that?” I asked, looking past the other houses where a stampede of zombies and all of their wonderful smells were now staggering toward us. We rolled up our windows.

“It’s like they have super senses or something,” said Nora.

“They’re some kind of primal hunters, now,” said Billie. “These zombies survive only to feed their frenzied bloodlust. It probably makes their sense of smell incredibly good, like an animal’s.”

“Well, they’re still fairly stupid,” said Nora. “At least the ones I’ve dealt with.”

“Some of the ones I’ve encountered seemed to be smarter than others; almost like they’re learning skills or something,” I said.

“I’ve noticed the same thing,” said Billie. “We’d better not underestimate them.”

“I never underestimate the enemy,” said Nora, pushing her hair back behind her ears. “In fact, I’ve learned that it’s better to shoot now and ask questions later.”

“I guess using your gut instinct has kept you alive this far, Nora,” said Billie. “I’d just keep rolling with that, if I were you. Just remember whose side we’re on, though.”

“Just stay out of my way and you’ll be just fine, hero,” said Nora, looking out the window.

Billie groaned in frustration. “God, you’re so…”

“Do yourself a favor, pretty-boy,” she said. “Just keep your opinions to yourself and get us out of here before the company arrives.”

His lips thinned and he looked over to me. “Where to now, Cassie?’

I bit back a smile. “Well, I guess the only place I can think of, back to the CDC.”

“I tell you, it’s a dead end,” said Billie.

I stared out the window at the approaching zombies as we pulled away. “I don’t care. It’s all I really have right now.”

20

A couple military trucks were parked outside of the CDC when we returned. I was so excited that I would have exploded out of the SUV if Nora wouldn’t have knocked me back to reality.

“Hey… hey… hey…what are you doing?!” she hollered as I was opening the door. “They were the ones who locked you up. Jesus, they’re probably looking for you right now, Wild.”

I removed my hand from the door handle. “Dammit. What are we supposed to do then?”

“Let me go in and see what I can find,” said Billie. “I’ll try talking to them, I’m sure they know where they moved your sister.”

I touched his arm. “Would you? Thank you, Billie.”

He looked at my hand on his forearm and nodded. “You saved my life a few days ago and I’d do anything for you and your family.”

I hugged him quickly. “Thanks, Billie.”

When I released him, he stared into my eyes. “Give me until darkness falls, and if I don’t make it back, leave.”

It would be dark in the next two hours. “If you don’t make it back to the SUV, we’re coming to look for you,” I said.

He shook his head. “No, just get the hell out of here. If they get their hands on you and lock you up, that’s not going to help you find your sister or family.”

“We’ll see. Just be careful,” I said.

He smiled and then kissed my cheek. “I’ll be back.”

When he left I could hear Nora chuckling in the backseat. “That guy has the fricken hots for you, Wild.”

I turned around and looked at her. “No, we’ve just been through a lot together. We’re good friends.”

Her lips twisted back into a smile. “Right, I saw the way he looked at you.”

I sighed. “He’s lonely and doesn’t have anyone left in the world. We’re more like… brother and sister. Besides, he knows of my feelings for Bryce.”

“I hate to say this, but you don’t even know if Bryce is still alive.”

“If there’s one person who could continue to survive in this crap, its Bryce,” I said.

“Well, for your sake, I hope so,” she said.

I smiled. “You know, I never did ask you about Scott.”

Her lips tightened. “What about him?”

“Do you know if he’s alive?”

She frowned. “I… don’t know. After the shit went down, we were separated and I have no idea what happened to him.”

“You really liked him, didn’t you?” I asked.

She laid her head back against the seat and stared outside. “Look, Wild. I didn’t really know him that well.”

“No, but that doesn’t mean you didn’t have feelings for him.”

“He was a nice guy. I mean, I hope he survived this shit, but I’m not going to hold my breath thinking that I’ll see him again. I’m not even certain I’ll get a chance to look my old man in the face again.”

I sighed. “Yeah, I know what you mean.”

We sat in silence, staring at the building Billie had disappeared into. Once in a while a zombie or two would stagger on by, but none of them seemed to even notice our existence.

“It’s already getting dark,” I murmured after about an hour. “I wonder what’s happening inside.”

Her face darkened. “I have this bad feeling, Wild,” she answered. “I don’t trust the soldiers, not after what I’ve seen.”

I bit the side of my lip. “I wonder if we should go and see if he’s okay?”

“You heard Billie; he said to leave if he doesn’t make it back by dark. We go and look for him, that might place us all in more danger.”

“Maybe.”

“The soldiers aren’t after him for any reason. He might even get some answers.”

“I suppose.”

“We’ll wait another half hour and then take off.”

The thought of abandoning Billie sounded horrible and went against everything I believed in. I turned back toward the building and watched nervously as a few zombies wandered around through the courtyard. Ten minutes later, Billie scrambled through the door and raced toward us. I sighed in relief.

“What happened?” I asked as he jumped in.

He started the engine and began driving. “The soldiers said they relocated everyone to Emory Hospital.”

I smiled. “Seriously? Thank God! Do you know how to get there?”

He nodded. “They told me roughly where it is. The problem is that’s where the zombies are heading. The smell of life and blood is obviously drawing them.”

I bit the side of my lip. “Did you find out anything else? Like if my sister was sent there?”

He shook his head. “I didn’t exactly ask. I was afraid they’d detain me if I asked questions specifically about you or your family. I heard them talking about your escape when I first approached them.”

“What were they saying?” I asked.

“That they were searching for you. The fact that you pulled through your coma and didn’t turn into a zombie means a lot. They need to find out why you survived.”

I looked away. “I’d be happy to help them out but not as a prisoner.”

“No shit,” said Nora.

“Well, they want you, and bad,” he said.

“That really worries me,” I said, trying not to cry. “If they need me so much, then Allie must not have beaten the virus.”

“Hey,” he said.

I turned toward him and could feel a stray tear slide down my cheek. I brushed it away.

He lifted my chin with his finger and then looked me in the eyes. “Don’t ever give up hope. You’re a survivor and I have faith that your sister is, too. Don’t ever give up hope, Cassie. That’s what you’ve told me.”

“Hope? It’s certainly a lot easier to preach it than it is to believe in it these days,” I said.

“That might be so but it’s still very good advice,” he said. “You know, thinking of you gave me hope when I found myself alone in Florida. I lost two of my best friends, my parents were missing, and everything they had was destroyed, and I just kept thinking about you and your incredible will to survive. I mean, you’re so young and yet you escaped from a psychotic dickhead, made it across the country to find your family, and escaped after being caged up here. You also kicked plenty of zombie ass, helped everyone more than a few times to stay alive, and never complained about anything. Someone is watching over you, and I have faith that everything is going to work out for the best. Just don’t lose that hope, kid. Promise?”

I smiled sadly. “I’ll try.”

“Wow, Billie,” said Nora. “That was inspiring. Let me guess, you were a youth counselor before the shit hit the fan?”

He turned back to her and smiled. “No, not at all; I was a drag queen.”

Nora’s jaw dropped. “No shit?”

“Shit,” he replied.

“So you like boys?” she blurted out.

I gave her a horrified look. “Wow, that was… smooth.”

She had the sense to look embarrassed and started rambling. “I mean there’s nothing wrong with that. I like boys. Shit, I mean I love boys and men so I can understand if you do, too.”

Billie smiled. “I like boys but not romantically. I’m not gay, Nora.”

“Really?” she said.

He nodded. “Really. I like girls and everything about them. Just because I rock as a Christina Aguilera impersonator, and look sexy in a Versace gown, doesn’t make me gay. It just makes me a shitload of money. Or, rather, it used to.”

She bit the side of her lip. “Well, you have to admit, it’s not the kind of job most straight guys choose.”

“I know but I’m not an average straight guy.”

She nodded. “That’s cool because I don’t consider myself an average straight girl, either, so I respect that.”

He smiled. “Somehow, I figured you might.”

She smiled back.

Billie started the engine and then frowned. “You know what? We need gas, and pronto. We’re almost empty.”

“There’s a station up the street,” said Nora. “I need some smokes, too.”

“Let’s hope the gas station hasn’t been ransacked yet,” said Billie. “Or that the pumps have a generator. We might have to do some siphoning.”

“And let’s hope there aren’t too many zombies around for that,” I said.

“Let’s hope,” said Billie.

We drove to the station that Nora had pointed out and everyone got out.

“Keep your eyes peeled for zombies or other… enemies,” said Billie.

“I’m going inside,” said Nora, raising her gun. “It looks pretty empty from out here.”

“We should go in together,” said Billie. “I want to check around to see if there is some kind of generator. These pumps don’t seem to be working.”

Just then, two zombies staggered toward us, panting like dogs.

“You take the left, I’ll take the right,” said Nora.

The one on the left was so rotted that I could no longer tell if it was a female or male. It wore baggy jeans and a gore-covered sweatshirt that read, “Zombies Hate Fast Food.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I giggled, approaching it with the rubber windshield cleaner from the gas station. I slammed it into the zombie’s eye and then kicked it in the stomach.

“Told you those shoes would work to your benefit,” smiled Billie as he closed the gas tank cover.

I curled my lip in disgust. “Yeah, but now it has zombie crud on it.”

He handed me a wet wipe.

“We’ll need ammunition again, and soon,” I said, watching as Nora pummeled her zombie in the face with a metal flowerpot she’d found sitting between the pumps.

Billie nodded. “Yeah but try and save your bullets for thieves, if at all possible. Zombies can’t kill you from a distance, but humans certainly can.”

“I’ll do that,” I said as Nora smashed the zombie’s face against the pavement.

“Wow, she’s a pretty good fighter, too,” said Billie.

“Yeah, Nora’s always been a brute. Don’t let her small frame fool you.”

Nora walked over and dunked her hands in the windshield wiper water, which was disgusting enough. Billie handed her a wet wipe.

“Thanks. So, let’s check inside the station for something to use against the zombies,” said Nora. “Maybe there’s a baseball bat or something else we can use to hit ‘em.”

“You did pretty well with the flowerpot,” said Billie.

“Not practical to carry around, obviously,” she said.

Billie nodded and then held up the truck keys. “Cassie, you wait inside the SUV and I’ll go with Nora into the station.”

“Okay. Be careful,” I said as he threw me the keys.

I hopped into the truck and watched as they jogged inside. It was now dark and there were no lights anywhere in the station. I couldn’t see any movement from Billie or Nora, and it was making me tense.

I yawned.

I should have asked them to find me an energy drink, I thought.

With my focus on the station and my heavy eyelids, I didn’t notice that someone was opening my door until it was too late. As I turned, a pair of large hands pulled me into the darkness and slammed me to the ground. As soon as my head hit the pavement, I screamed.

“Shut the fuck up,” growled one of the men, covering my mouth with his hand. I tried biting him, but he hit me in the head with his other hand and I saw stars.

“She’s a fighter, better tie her up,” commanded a deep voice.

Before I knew it, my hands were behind my back and my mouth was taped shut. Then I was tossed into the back of Billie’s SUV and the door was slammed shut.

“Meet you back at the hotel!” hollered one of the men as the truck started moving. I could hear gunfire in the distance, probably from Nora and Billie, but it was too late. We were flying through the night and I was scared to death.

21

It didn’t seem like we had driven very far when we screeched to a halt. The back door opened up and three men stood there, staring at me with guns drawn.

“She’s a little skinny,” said one of them, rubbing his chin.

“And kind of young,” said another.

“Doesn’t matter. She’ll do,” said the third with a merciless grin.

The men were all tall, dark, and very dangerous-looking. They were dressed in expensive clothing and one of them, a big brute of a man, had rings adorning almost every finger. They kind of reminded me of mafia, if there really was such a thing.

“Tony says we’ll draw more audience if we use women. This is just a slip of a girl, though. The last one we used was stacked and they seem to like that better. I’m not sure about this one.”

“She’s a looker, though; you know what I’m saying? Better than nothing, and we have to keep the audience interested,” said one of the others.

I didn’t know what they were talking about but it sounded like really bad news for me.

“Let’s get her with the other bitches,” replied the man with the rings, grabbing me. He then tossed me over his shoulder and we were soon entering what appeared to be the Ritz Carlton. Obviously, whoever they were had expensive tastes.

A half a dozen armed men were talking amongst each other in the lobby of the hotel, which was lit up, obviously by generators. When they noticed us coming, they all stopped and stared.

“Whatcha got there, Donnie?” said one of the thugs. He was short with a very round belly and had an unlit cigar in his mouth.

The guy holding me answered, “Another player for the game.”

“Nice ass,” replied the man.

My face burned. The dress I was wearing had ridden up and away from my rear when he’d picked me up.

The guy holding me chuckled and smacked me on the butt, making me scream into the tape. I tried to struggle, kicking and wiggling my body to try and make him drop me. But it didn’t seem to do much against the giant man.

“Feisty little shit, isn’t she?” chuckled another guy as we walked passed.

“Yes, good entertainment” said my captor. “It’ll be more fun to watch.”

We walked past the lobby and through a door that led down a long hallway. At the end of it was an armed man sitting outside of a double door marked “Banquet Room.” Donnie stopped there and I was set down on the plush carpet.

“Hey, Rico, how are they doing in there?” asked Donnie.

The guard, who was shorter with a large belly, snorted. “Frisky bitches, that’s for sure. Johnny and Marcus are in there with them now, keeping the girls under control.”

“Marcus is still in there?” said Donnie. “He was eyeing that blonde from yesterday and I warned him to keep his distance. Tony’s going to be pissed if Marcus puts his hands on any of these girls again. We need them in good form for the events.”

Events?

“Hmm… this one’s a looker, too,” said Rico, touching my cheek before I had time to react. “Maybe we should get Marcus out of there. He did time for rape, you know.”

Donnie nodded. “Yeah, but he’s Tony’s nephew. He’ll put up a big stink about it. He volunteered to watch the girls and he isn’t going to walk away from that. Maybe we’ll get lucky and he’ll behave himself from now on.”

The guard nodded in agreement and opened the door. “Let’s just wait and see if there’s a problem before we try fixing it.”

They hustled me into the room and I noticed there were several other women being held captive. Most of them were just lying around on couches or sitting on the ground, staring into space and looking completely hopeless.

“What do we have here?” asked a short, muscular guy with a goatee. His eyes traveled up and down my body and it gave me the creeps.

“Another player for the game, Marcus,” said Donnie.

Why did fate always throw assholes my way?

Marcus walked up to me, ripped the tape from my mouth, and smirked while I squealed from the pain.

“Yo, Donnie,” called a tall blond guy who was sitting at a bar in the back of the room. Even from this distance I could see that he was reading a girly magazine and drinking a beer. He was a real hard worker.

“Hey, Johnny,” he answered. “Got you another one. This one’s young and feisty, so watch her.”

Johnny nodded and then went back to reading the magazine. Obviously he wasn’t too worried about me.

“I think we can handle her,” said Marcus, smiling at me lasciviously. “She looks like a little pussycat to me.”

My stomach rolled and I took a step back from him. He noticed this and smiled even wider.

“Listen, Marcus,” said Donnie, pointing a finger at him. “Just keep an eye on her, but don’t get too friendly, you know what I’m saying?”

Marcus folded his arms under his chest and looked a little pissed off. “No, as a matter of fact I don’t.”

“Oh, I think you know exactly what I mean,” said Donnie.

“Excuse me; can someone untie my hands?” I interrupted. “The rope really burns.”

Marcus took out a knife and stepped behind me. His hand brushed against my rear, not once but twice, as he cut the rope. I turned around and glared at him.

“Angry little pussycat,” he said with a knowing grin.

I looked at Donnie, who actually appeared almost apprehensive about leaving. “Don’t leave me with him,” I pleaded.

“Don’t worry, doll, you’ll be fine,” he answered and then turned back to Marcus. “Because nobody’s gonna bother you.”

Marcus snorted and then asked, “So, when’s the next game?”

Donnie started walking toward the door. “Soon. We’re rounding up more zombies. Not easy though, bastards are getting harder to control.”

Marcus cracked his knuckles. “That’ll just make it more entertaining.”

What in the hell were they talking about?

“Johnny,” called out Donnie. “I’m leaving. Watch the girls and make sure nothing goes down until we come to collect them.”

Johnny nodded but didn’t look up from his centerfold.

After Donnie left the room, Marcus pointed toward the other girls. “These are your roommates, but don’t get too friendly. You won’t be seeing them for very long. You need a friend, see me.”

Like that was going to happen.

He stared at me for a minute and I glared at him.

“Okay, then,” he said, nodding. “I’ll be over there, if you need me.”

Then he walked back toward Johnny and poured himself a drink.

I rubbed my sore wrists, and moved toward an attractive blond woman who appeared to be somewhere in her twenties. She was sitting in a club chair with her eyes closed and a hand at her forehead. When I sat down next to her, she opened her eyes and muttered, “Welcome to the jungle.”

“What are they doing with us?” I whispered.

She stared at me for a minute and then sighed. “Using us for entertainment, hon.”

Entertainment?

“What do you mean?”

She looked at our captors and then back to me. “I’ve heard a lot of talk going on between these guys, they love to hear themselves. Anyway, from what I understand, these guys used to be heavily invested in the drug trade business. After the zombie shit went down, well it hurt it, as you can imagine.”

“Yeah, I’m sure,” I said.

“Anyway, these assholes are now using us to get drugs from some of their suppliers living in Colombia and other countries. Apparently flu shots weren’t on their ‘to do’ lists and many members of the cartel escaped zombie transformations. Now with money meaning shit in our world right now, these dickheads are putting on live entertainment and using us as the main attraction to work out deals with their suppliers.”

A shiver went down my spine. “How can they do that?”

“I guess they can still access the Internet somehow and broadcast over it.”

“Great,” I mumbled. “So, what exactly are we doing as the entertainment?”

“We’re being thrown to the zombies to see how long we can survive before they tear us apart. It’s like a wrestling cage match, only it’s us against the undead.”

22

I stared at her in horror. “That’s pretty sick. Have you seen them do it?”

She smiled grimly. “Oh yeah, and it’s far worse than anything you could possibly imagine. They’ve drained the indoor pool and that’s where the excitement takes place,” she said angrily. “A few girls against a group of zombies; it’s sadistic as all hell, and they make the rest of us watch the whole sordid thing.”

It definitely was horrifying, but to tell you the truth, it was better than what had originally crossed my mind. I thought for sure they were raping us or making some kind of snuff films. I had to admit that zombies didn’t scare me as much as desperate drug dealers.

“What happens if you beat the zombies?” I asked.

She snorted. “Hasn’t been done yet. Weapons aren’t allowed, and the only way to kill a zombie is…”

“Destroy the brain,” I finished.

She nodded.

I looked around the room at the other women. Most of them were in their twenties or thirties and looked pretty healthy. I imagined that if they had weapons, they’d be decent adversaries against the undead.

“How long have you been prisoner?” I asked.

“Couple days. I’ve only witnessed one of their shows and that was yesterday. The next one is going to be soon, and I’m sure my time is running out.”

I looked over at Johnny and Marcus again, who appeared to be snorting something. Marcus looked up and wiped his nose.

“Maybe they’ll get too high and we can escape,” I said. I really didn’t know that much about drugs.

“They’ll probably get more strung out,” she answered. “If we’re lucky, they’ll snort too much and have a seizure or heart attack.”

Just then, Marcus walked back over, and I could tell by the look in his eyes he had something on his mind that wasn’t at all in my best interest.

“What’s your name, pussycat?” he asked me, rubbing his nose.

I raised my chin. “Your worst nightmare.”

Marcus laughed out loud. “That’s cute. You must watch too many movies. Tell you what, if you’re a nice kitty, I might be able to extend your stay with us.”

I crossed my arms under my chest. “A nice kitty?”

“A nice ‘friendly’ kitty. I think you know what I mean,” he said, now totally undressing me with his eyes.

“Let me see if I have this right; if I let you put your hands on me, then you’ll let me live a little longer?”

“Or you can put your hands on me.”

I wanted to puke. “Both sound pretty disgusting to me.”

His face darkened and he took a step forward. “You’d better watch it, or you’ll end up like the last little bitch who gave me lip.”

“Leave her alone, Marcus,” said my new blond friend. “She’s just a young kid.”

“Mind your own business, Carly,” snapped Marcus. “Or you, me, and this little bitch here, will go into the next room and I’ll teach you both a lesson.”

“Everything okay over here?” sniffed Johnny as he strolled over to us. His pupils were dilated and he looked twitchy.

Marcus glared at me again and then turned back to his partner. “It’s fine, just a couple of insolent bitches trying to get a rise out of me. I think we should teach them a lesson and make sure both of them are in the next show.”

Johnny shrugged. “Your call.”

Marcus only gave us a satisfied grin and then walked away.

“So, what did happen to the last gal who gave him lip?” I asked under my breath.

Carly motioned toward the back corner of the room where a girl was sleeping underneath a blanket on the floor. “He practically beat her to death. She wouldn’t let him touch her, either, and told him off. He beat her up pretty bad and now she can barely move. Hate to say this, but she’s going to be easy prey for the zombies when they put her in the game.”

“That Marcus is a real prick. Nobody deserves getting beaten, except him. Is she okay now?”

“To be honest, I don’t know.”

“I’m going to check on her,” I said.

“Here,” said Carly, handing me a bottle of water. “See if she’s thirsty.”

“Thanks.”

I walked over to the girl who wasn’t making a sound. I kneeled down and touched her shoulder. “Hey, are you okay?”

“Cassie?” murmured the girl, turning over to look at me. Her left eye was black and blue and there was dried blood just above her bruised lips.

“Paige?” I whispered in horror.

23

“How did you get here?” she asked, trying to sit up. “Is my mom or Tiny here?”

I shook my head. “Just me. Are you okay?”

“I’ve been better. Where have you been?”

I gave her a rundown of what I’d been doing the last few days, including how I’d ran into Nora. “So, obviously, I haven’t seen anyone else in the group.”

“Nora, huh? I can’t believe she survived and was taken to the same facility where you were held. What are the chances of that?”

“I know, I still can’t believe it. You know,” I said, “this entire thing seems more and more like a bad dream.”

“Well, wake up then. This dream of yours hurts.”

I smiled, bitterly. “I wish it were that easy.”

She closed her eyes and nodded. I could tell from the expression on her face that she was in a lot of pain.

“What happened? How did you get here?” I asked.

Paige opened her eyes. “We were separated from your dad and Bryce a few days ago when someone opened fire on them. Tiny took off to save us, and when we returned to see how you guys were doing, nobody was around. I guess they must have survived since you’re here right now,” she smiled. “Thank God.”

“Well, how did you end up here?” I asked.

Paige cleared her throat. “We went to the CDC and parked outside. Mom and Tiny went into the building to search for everyone. I suddenly had to pee. I mean, I just couldn’t hold it anymore. Anyway, I crept behind an abandoned car and as I was coming back, someone grabbed me. They put a blindfold on me and brought me here.”

“You went outside to pee by yourself when there were zombies around?” I asked.

“Had my bat, but the asshole surprised me from behind.”

“What are you bitches talking about over there?” hollered Marcus from across the room.

Paige glared at him but neither of us answered.

“He’s a real piece of work,” I said under my breath.

She nodded. “He needs his ass kicked. I tell you what, if I still had my metal bat, I would have given him that home-run he wanted.”

I smiled. “I’m glad to see that he didn’t beat your spirit.”

She snorted. “If I’ve survived this far against the zombies, one pervert with short-man syndrome isn’t going to be my demise.”

“Don’t worry,” I said, gently touching her shoulder. “We’ll get out of here somehow.”

Her eyes widened. “So, you have a plan?”

I bit the side of my lip. “Actually, I’ve got nothing yet, but the good news is I’m feeling all right and nobody knows of my martial arts training. Not yet, anyway.”

She nodded. “Well that is something. Unfortunately, I can barely move and I’m next in the pool of horror. I don’t think I’ll do very well against the zombies.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll cover your ass,” I said, standing back up.

She stared at my dress and smiled. “You’re barely covered yourself. What’s up with the hooker outfit?”

I looked down and made a face. “I know but I had no other choice. It was either this or hospital gown with my rear sticking out. You should see Nora’s outfit, it’s even worse than mine.”

“That must have been quite the sight.”

I smiled. “Oh, yeah and she was less than thrilled.”

She closed her eyes again. “We have to get out of here.”

Before I could reply, the door opened and Donnie stepped through with another man who looked important in a mafia kind of way. He was dressed in some kind of expensive designer suit, had very dark hair, and a thick belly. It amazed me how these guys were strutting around in monkey suits with perfectly coifed hair in the middle of a zombie war. Plus, they all seemed to be eating fairly well.

“Nice group,” he said, cracking his knuckles. He, like most of the other thugs, had several rings on his fingers that I imagined may have broken a few noses along the years.

“That’s the head guy,” whispered Paige. “Tony.”

“Time to play a fun game, lovelies,” hollered Tony, now clapping his hands to get everyone’s attention. “I like to call this zombie game, ‘Survival’, you against a few brainless, undead pieces of shit. You win, I let you go, you lose… well, I think you understand.”

“What if we don’t want to play?” asked Carly.

He smiled sadistically. “Sorry, babe, but you have no choice.”

“Nothing fair about this game,” said Paige.

“So,” he continued. “We need five volunteers or we pick the players ourselves.”

I cleared my throat and stepped forward. “If we survive, will you let us go?”

Tony stepped closer to me and smiled. “Sure, why not? You can walk away and I’ll even give you a free meal to celebrate your victory; just because I’m a nice guy.”

“If that’s a real promise, I’ll play your game,” I said. “But I do have one request.”

Tony stared at me in amusement. “Okay, I’ll bite – what is your request, honey?”

I pointed to Paige, who was now standing but clearly in pain. “That you keep her out of the game, and she gets released if we win.”

“That bitch. If she ain’t playing, she certainly ain’t leaving,” interrupted Marcus.

Tony’s eyes narrowed and he turned to Donnie. “So is this the blond you were talking about? The one Marcus apparently smacked around?”

“She certainly didn’t arrive this way,” I interrupted.

Tony frowned. “Marcus, I told you to leave the players untouched.”

“She was getting lippy, Ton,” he said. “What? I should just ignore her mouth? She was disrespectful.”

“You inform me next time,” demanded Tony. “I need players that are healthy, and they’re getting pretty scarce these days. We have no players, we have no game. Capiche?”

Marcus looked down and nodded.

“As far as your friend goes,” said Tony, looking at me. “If you volunteer for this next game, I can leave her out of it. She’s too banged up right now anyway. If you win, I’ll even let you both go, because, like I said before, I’m a nice guy.”

From the expression on his face, I could tell he didn’t think there was even a chance of me winning.

“Okay, then I volunteer,” I said.

He nodded. “Good girl. Anyone else?”

Nobody else volunteered so he picked four more girls, Carly being one of them.

“The game will begin in an hour. Rest up,” said Tony before he stepped out of the room with Donnie.

Marcus looked at me and shook his head. “Should’ve taken my offer earlier, pussycat, and been nice to me. I mean, I could’ve sheltered you from the game and we would have spent some quality time getting to know each other. Now you’re going to be torn apart and even volunteered for it. Not too bright.”

I just ignored him and walked back to Paige. “See, I told you we’re going to get out of here.”

“Hope you have a plan for when you’re in the pool,” she said, “because the zombies aren’t easy to kill when you have no weapons.”

“Oh, but I have two weapons,” I said.

She raised her eyebrows. “Where?”

I looked down at my high heels, which I was glad to be still wearing, and smiled. “Did you ever get a chance to watch that ‘Jerry Springer Show’?”

24

Donnie and a couple of his stooges arrived for us about an hour later. We were taken to the hotel’s large indoor pool in the garden atrium, which was actually pretty breathtaking. Lush flowers, waterfalls, and Greek statues surrounded the outer area of the atrium. It would have been a beautiful place to relax under normal circumstances.

“Sick bastards,” I said, looking around. “I’m surprised they didn’t have this event catered.”

“Oh, but they did,” said Carly. “We’re the food and the zombies are the honored guests.”

“Hope they choke on my big toe,” I replied.

I noticed there were several tables and chairs set up surrounding the pool, giving spectators a great view of the carnage that would soon take place. Large cameras and lights also surrounded the pool, and I felt a shiver go down my side when I thought of the circus that would soon take place in such a lovely setting.

“Ladies,” said Donnie, when we all lined up by the shallow part of the pool. “Drop your clothes and get in.”

We all stood, staring at him in horror.

“Come on, chop chop,” he said, clapping his hands.

I stepped forward. “Nobody mentioned anything about being naked,” I snapped.

His smile was smug. “New game, princess; one I like to call ‘Naked Babe Zombie Games.’ The fans requested more skin, and we aim to please.”

“More skin? Sick bastards!” hollered one of the girls.

She got that right, sick fans and even sicker promoters. “Sorry, but I can’t do that,” I said, folding my arms across my chest.

He scowled. “I’m not asking you to do it, I’m telling you.”

My mind raced for a way to get out of this. I’d never been completely naked in front of anyone since I was a baby. I was still pretty modest considering the short dress I was currently wearing.

“Well?” he said. “You gonna take off your clothes or do you need help? I know Marcus would love to volunteer.”

I’d kill him before he touched me.

“You think I’m joking?” prodded Donnie.

I bit the side of my lip and tried to summon up some kind of tears. I thought of my family and Bryce, who I missed desperately. “I’m only seventeen… I’m still underage,” I said, feeling my eyes filling up. “It’s immoral to have me remove my clothing.”

Okay, so everything they were doing was immoral but I had to try.

Donnie’s eyes narrowed. “You’re under eighteen? Seriously?”

I nodded and brushed away a tear. “Yes and if I’m not correct, this would be considered child pornography. You guys aren’t into that, are you? I didn’t figure you to be into kiddie porn.”

His eyes traveled up and down my body. “Bullshit. You don’t look like no kid.”

I raised my eyebrows. “Girls younger than me are far more developed. So what you’re saying is that if I was fourteen and still looked like this, it would be okay to make me run around naked? That’s definitely child pornography.”

He rubbed his jaw but didn’t say anything.

I sniffled. “I mean, it’s twisted enough be feeding us to the zombies, but having us do it naked, too? And I’m still considered a child in most states. Do you have kids, Donny?”

He let out an exasperated breath. “Fine, I’ll talk to Tony. We don’t condone no child porn. That shit’s immoral.”

Are you kidding me? I thought. Where did they draw the line?

“That’s a relief,” snorted Carly. “And I thought you guys were sick perverts.”

He pointed at her. “Watch it, Carly. Keep your yap shut!”

Carly glared at him but didn’t say anything else.

Then Donnie stormed off, leaving us with a couple of guards who seemed to be quite amused with the exchange we’d just had.

Fifteen minutes later, he returned with a bewildered expression on his face. “You’re lucky that Tony likes your gumption, kid,” he said, pointing to me. “And he thought up a new way for us to make a little more profit. You’re all going to keep your bra and panties on. We’ll negotiate a better deal from the fans the next show if they want to see more skin than that.”

“In our underwear? But…” I sputtered.

He clenched his fists. “Shut up before I lose my cool with you. The show will start in fifteen minutes, and I don’t have time for this shit. Now undress down to your underwear and shut the hell up.”

I sighed and began undressing with the others.

“How degrading,” mumbled Carly with despair, “and inhumane. I can’t believe anyone would force this upon defenseless women. I hope they all burn in hell.”

“Hey,” I whispered to Carly. “Put your boots back on, use them as weapons.”

She had been wearing brown leather cowgirl boots with her faded jeans and T-shirt. They were narrow in the front with a medium heel which I knew could do some damage to the enemy, and possibly help save her life. I’d killed many zombies with my old hiking boots, of course I was also trained in martial arts and had to admit, my kicks could be lethal.

Carly nodded. “Good thinking, kid.” Then she slipped her cowgirl boots back on.

The other women looked at us in confusion, especially with me and my heels.

“Hit them with your shoes,” I said under my breath. “Hard.”

They seemed to understand because everyone kept them on. Soon we were all standing around in just our undergarments and shoes and I felt so self-conscious, especially with the way the guys were all leering at us. But the heck if I was going to let them think they made me nervous. I raised my chin and resisted the urge to cover myself, praying that the underwear, which were already loose, wouldn’t slip off when I moved.

“What’s with the all the shoes?” asked Donnie.

“We all have cold feet,” I said.

Donnie laughed. “You know, I kind of like the fact you left your shoes on, especially the heels,” he said, looking at my feet. “It’ll be even more alluring for our viewers.”

Just then, the rest of the girls from the banquet room were brought in by Marcus, Rico, and Johnny.  Their faces turned pale when ordered to sit in the chairs surrounding the pool. Paige was among them, walking slowly and painfully. She looked shocked and shook her head angrily when she noticed us in our underwear.

Tony came in next and nodded in approval while everyone was getting situated.

“Zombies ready?” he hollered.

“Yeah, boss,” yelled one of his men.

“You got this live on the Internet yet?” he asked Donnie.

Donnie nodded. “Jimbo has the cameras set and is getting us live right now. Right, Jimbo?”

Jimbo, who was somewhere in the background, acknowledged it.

“Perfect,” said Tony with a satisfied smile. “Let’s begin the games, shall we?”

“Hey, Tony, you gonna introduce the lovely contestants?” hollered Marcus, smiling down at me smugly.

“Oh, yeah. Did you get the sound to work this time?” asked Tony.

“Yeah,” said Donnie. “You can hear everything online. Even the grunts and moans from the zombies.”

Tony nodded. “Well, let me say my spiel and then we’ll drop the zombies down and give our viewers their little show.”

When the cameras were ready and Tony was equipped with a microphone, he strutted down to us and began talking to the sickos on the Internet waiting for the zombie snuff games to begin.

“Thank you for joining us in viewing tonight’s entertainment. I’ve received word that your packages have arrived, and as always, I’m grateful that we can still continue all of our partnerships. Now,” he said with a broad smile, “enough business, let’s get down to some real fun. As you can see, we have five lovely ladies who will be involved in tonight’s game. As a special treat tonight, they are all dressed scantily. This is just a taste of what we’ll be offering in the future, which we here like to call, ‘Naked Babe Zombie Games.’ If you would like to view that action, let us know and we’ll contact you with our payment requirements, along with the dates and times of those particular festivities.”

As he rambled on, I could hear the familiar moaning sounds coming from the zombies they’d obviously rounded up for the game we were forced to play. We all watched with trepidation as the monsters were wheeled into the atrium in a cage and placed on the edge of the deeper part of the pool. Five zombies stared hungrily at their living captors, reaching out of their cages for anything they could get their mangled hands on. The rotten smell of their dying skin wafted down toward us and I swallowed back my vomit.

“The zombies have arrived, and it looks like that’s my sign to leave,” said Tony as he got out of the pool. He looked as pumped as my dad at a Viking’s game.

“You’ll be leaving for hell soon, you piece of shit!” hollered Carly as he sat down in a plush-looking recliner they’d set up for him.

His smile was smug. “Not before you, Carly, so save me a seat by the fire. Now, good luck, girls and try not to die too quickly. We want a damn good show.”

“Oh, my God,” sobbed one of the women in the pool. “These guys are animals! How can they allow this?”

“Don’t insult animals like that,” I muttered, thinking of Goldie.

Goldie.

I blinked back sudden tears and wondered if anyone was taking care of her. She was still just a puppy and thrived on attention. It seemed like forever since I’d felt her nibbling at my hands while I rubbed and tickled her soft belly. I hoped that Megan or Kylie had been taking good care of her.

“All those zombies have to do is scratch us and it’s all over,” growled one of the other women, a redhead. “If I get scratched or bitten, I’m making a rush for one of those pricks. I’ll make sure I share the virus with as many of those Gumbas as I can.”

I don’t think any of us were really prepared when they dropped the five zombies into the empty pool. We all watched in horror as they were released and it took me a minute to react after they toppled to the ground in a heap. As they got back on their feet and started barreling toward us, many of the viewers watching above the pool even started shrieking in terror.

25

I took a deep breath and summoned up the courage to attack the zombies first. I reminded myself that I had a lot on my side and not to worry about surviving this particular fight. The only obstacle in my way was Tony keeping his promise of releasing us when it was over. With his morals, I’d be lucky if we weren’t shot in the head when it was over.

Pushing that horrid thought out of my mind, I concentrated only on surviving. As the undead opponents charged us like we were an all-you-can-eat buffet, I sped toward the nearest zombie and introduced him to my flying kick, which connected nicely with his deteriorated chest. As he toppled to the ground I turned and knocked over a second one with a hard swivel kick. Predictively, both zombies got back up and staggered toward me again.

“Back for more, huh?” I snarled, grabbing the first one by the arm and swinging him into the other one. They fell backwards together and before they could get back up, I grabbed both zombies by the hair and slammed their heads together, hard.

“Wow, it actually worked,” I said in wonder, backing away.

Their heads were pretty rotted so the impact had done enough damage to finish them off.

“Help!” screamed one of the other girls. She had her shoe off, some type of clog, and was attempting to hit another zombie in the face, but not hard enough to do much. It soon had ahold of her arm and was trying to bite it.

I rushed over to them and kicked the zombie in the side, sending him flying to the ground. I then removed my shoe and slammed the heel into its eye as he screeched in anger. It wasn’t long before both of his eyes were oozing jelly and he’d stopped moving for the last time. As I moved away from him, I heard Carly screaming and turned to find her running from a very determined female zombie. The zombie grabbed her by the back of hair and opened her mouth. I charged toward them as fast as I could.

“Oh, God!” Carly screamed, trying to get away from the female, whose teeth were gnashing grotesquely as it tried to get closer to her head.

I caught the zombie before her mouth reached Carly and slammed the heel of my shoe into her rotten cheek. The zombie let her go and turned toward me.

“Watch out, Cassie!” sobbed Carly, backing away.

My shoe was still stuck in the side of the zombie’s cheek so I took the other shoe and smashed her in the nose as hard as I could. Before long, I had possession of both pumps and was going to town on the zombie’s face. When it was over, the thing lay on the ground motionless, and my shoes were sopped with zombie gore.

“Thanks,” said Carly, still out of breath.

I looked at her boots, wishing I was wearing them right now. “Carly, have you ever done any kick-boxing?”

She nodded.

“Good. Use what you’ve learned and aim as high as you can. Push your fear aside and just kick them with all you’ve got!” I hollered, rushing toward another zombie.

With the help of Carly and her shit-kickers, we killed the last two zombies. Unfortunately, two of the women had lost their lives before we’d gotten to their attackers.

“You have zombie blood on your skin,” said Carly as we both struggled to catch our breath.

“It’s okay, I think I’m immune to their virus,” I said, eyeing Tony who was walking toward me, holding a gun.

“Seriously?” asked Carly.

Before I could answer, Tony clapped his hands and walked over to our side of the pool.

“That was truly… amazing,” he said. “I guess I know how you’ve survived thus far in the zombie apocalypse.”

I smiled grimly. “Well, it still hasn’t been easy,” I said. “Now, can Paige and I leave?”

From the look on his face, I knew the answer. “Are you kidding? I can’t let you go. You were the star of the show! In fact, some of the viewers were rooting for you this time instead of the zombies. This could be very rewarding, for me as well as for you, honey.”

“First of all, you made me a promise. Second of all, why would it be rewarding for me?” I asked, incredulously.

He smiled. “You’re good at kicking zombie ass. Tonight’s show was… spectacular! From the online comments, the viewers will pay more to watch you shred the undead. You keep fighting for us, and I’ll set you up comfortably; you know what I’m saying? Nice hotel room, food, whatever you want. All you have to do is fight a few zombies and stay alive, which obviously you can do.”

I wanted to tell him exactly what I thought of his proposal, but he was holding a gun and currently all of my options. It was then that I decided to play along with him until I found my chance to escape.

“Okay, but only if you leave Paige alone,” I said. “She doesn’t fight, and Marcus keeps his distance from both of us.”

He nodded slowly. “You just give me a good show and I’ll let both of you live.”

“And… you’ll also let the other girls go,” I said.

He snorted. “No, that’s not going to happen.”

“Why? You said you’d put me up against the zombies. You certainly won’t need any of the others.”

“Sweetheart, I will always need other players; especially if you die.”

I raised my chin. “I won’t die.”

He smiled coldly. “Look, I’m a businessman. I don’t put all my eggs in one basket; you know what I’m saying?”

I really wanted to shove his eggs somewhere. “No, not really.”

He waved his hand. “I need the other girls to perform, too. In fact, they’ll be the opening performance and you’ll be the main event.”

“Perform? You mean you’ll need them to die to bring in your clients?”

He shrugged. “As long as they’re entertaining and get me my product, I don’t care one way or the other.”

He was a very evil man and all I could think about was kicking him in his arrogant face.

“So what’s it going to be? I’m going to make you fight against the zombies, no matter what.”

I nodded. “Fine. But I want new clothes, a pair of hiking boots, and food for everyone.”

“Still trying to make deals for the others, huh? You’ll get yours and they’ll get theirs. Now, no more talk. Donnie will set you up in one of the rooms and I’ll send my boys to find you something to wear.”

I nodded.

He pointed his finger at me and his face became dark. “And one warning to you; just one. Don’t fuck with me, ever. Got it?”

“The thought never even occurred to me,” I replied, holding back my smile.

His smile told me he knew better. “Right. Now make sure you rest up and eat something when they bring it to you. Next show is tomorrow night.”

As far as I was concerned, my next fight would be much sooner.

26

As far as our new accommodations, Tony was good on his word, which was kind of a surprise. Paige and I were put in a room on the tenth floor with a large king-sized bed and a whirlpool tub.

“I really liked Carly,” I said, looking out the window. “I should have negotiated for her, too.”

Paige shook her head. “They wouldn’t have let her go. I’m surprised they even allowed me up here with you.”

I sighed and turned around to face her. “We’re getting out of this place, and I’m going to free the others, too.”

“Cassie, I hate to be the one to break it to you, but you’re not a superhero. I mean, you’re awesome at martial arts, and you can fire a gun pretty darn good, but you’re not invincible. Let’s just get the heck out of here and then find someone to help us stop these jerks. There’s just too many of them guarding this place, we’d never make it.”

“We’ll see,” I said stubbornly.

She pointed at me. “I mean it. They have guns that can kill us, and I’d bet my money that they wouldn’t hesitate.”

“I know, but they’re no match for common sense.”

She rolled her eyes and groaned. “You’re stubborn.”

I shrugged. “I like to think of it as being determined.”

She yawned. “I’m determined, too. Determined to take a nap before we plan our grand escape.”

“I hear you. I feel like I could sleep for days,” I said, eyeing the bed.

She wrinkled her nose. “Take a shower first,” she said. “You’re still covered with zombie blood.”

I looked down. I’d forgotten that I was still only wearing my underwear, too. “Jeez I’m a mess, aren’t I?”

“Good observation. Let me know when you’re done,” she said, moving toward an armchair. “I could use one, too.”

I noticed that she was still walking much too carefully. “Are you okay?”

“It’s still a little hard to breathe and my face feels like it’s been used as a tennis racket. Other than that, I’ll live.”

“That piece of crap. I’d love to feed Marcus to the zombies,” I said, studying her battered face.

She closed her eyes. “You and me both. I just can’t believe that none of these guys turned into zombies,” she said. “Drug dealers don’t believe in vaccinations or what?”

“Maybe they were too busy selling drugs and beating up broads,” I answered.

She snorted. “No doubt.”

I grabbed one of the fluffy white hotel robes and took a quick shower while Paige slept. As I was toweling off, someone began pounding on the door.

I put my robe on and let Donnie into the room. “I’m surprised you even knocked,” I said to him as he handed me a bag.

He eyed my robe and smiled lecherously. “You know, you are legal in most states. Zombie shit or not.”

I pulled my robe closer to my body and scowled. “For what you’re talking about, that’s still illegal.”

He burst out laughing. “You’re witty, I’ll give you that.”

“It’s better than being an asshole,” I said, eyeing him up and down.

His face darkened. “You have no idea what kind of an asshole I can be.”

I raised an eyebrow and stared at him. “You mean it gets worse?”

He instinctively touched his holster, which I noticed was empty. A look of surprise flashed across his face for a brief second.

“Lost your gun?”

He snorted. “I don’t need a gun. I’m not afraid of a little smartass like you.”

Donnie was a scary-looking thug, well over six feet and muscles that meant business. I’m sure Tony used him to intimidate or even take out anyone who pissed him off.

“I’m not afraid of you either,” I said, lifting my chin.

We stared at each other for a few seconds, both of us trying to out-intimidate the other. He did a much better job of being scary, but I had learned to focus through my martial arts class. I could stare right through him for as long as needed.

The sound of the elevator interrupted our special moment.

He smiled coldly. “I forgot to introduce you to the guard who’s going to be babysitting you. Looks like he’s arrived.”

I walked out of the room and glanced over at the man coming out of the elevator. I tried to keep calm but the truth was, I’d never been so surprised in my life.

“Hi, Donnie,” said the newcomer.

Donnie smiled and cracked his knuckles. “Glad you made it. It’s De Luca, right?”

27

“Yeah, Bryce De Luca.”

“Okay, De Luca. This is the girl you need to keep an eye on. What is your name, anyway?” he asked turning toward me.

My heart was pounding and my hands shook so bad I had to hide them under the robe. “Um, it’s… Wild.” I wasn’t about to get on a first-name basis with this criminal.

“Figures,” Donnie grunted.

“I don’t care how wild she is,” said Bryce, with a smirk. “I’ll handle her.”

I bit back a smile and looked away.

“Well, it looks like you’ve already intimidated her, De Luca.”

When I looked back at Bryce, a look of amusement briefly flashed through his eyes.

“Good. Then I won’t have to put her in her place,” he said.

“I like you already, kid,” chuckled Donnie.

I turned to Donnie. “I’m sure you do. It appears that he has same caveman mentality.”

Donnie waved his hand. “Eh… she’s pretty harmless. If she does give you any lip, though, just ignore her. Tony wants her unblemished, if you know what I mean.”

“You mean I gotta keep my hands to myself?”

The thought of Bryce putting his hands on me sent a rush of heat through my entire body.

He laughed. “Yeah, restrain yourself. Even though the broad population has dwindled almost down to self-love, you’d get more than what you bargained for with this one. She’s not as sweet and innocent as she looks.”

With a remarkably straight face, he answered, “Good to know.”

Donnie nodded. “Other than that, don’t let her out of this room and restrain her with force if you need to. Same with the other broad.”

“I got it.”

“Okay, now get back to your room, Wild. We’ll let you know when the next show is.”

I took one more glance at Bryce before I went back into the bedroom. He looked like he fit in perfectly with the group of criminals, especially with the new designer suit and wingtips.

“What’s going on?” asked Paige when she saw me.

“Bryce is here,” I whispered.

Her mouth dropped. “Is he being held prisoner, too?”

I shook my head and smiled. “No, he’s pretending to be one of them. In fact, he’s our new guard.”

She smiled and grabbed my wrist. “Oh, my God, we might really be getting out of here!”

A minute later Bryce slipped quietly into the room. He smiled. “Funny meeting you here.”

I ran over and threw my arms around him. “I can’t believe you’re here,” I cried.

He held me tight. “Believe it or not, I was actually here because of someone else.”

I pulled away. “Who?”

“A boy. God, you’re a sight for sore eyes. Even more beautiful than I remember,” he said, drinking me in with his own.

“Wait a second, Bryce, a boy? Bobby?”

He shook his head, looking confused. “Bobby? No a teenager.”

“I don’t understand.”

“It’s fine,” he said, studying my face. “Long story and one I’ll explain when we’re out of here.”

“I’ll be back,” said Paige, getting up from the bed. “Um… I’ll just use the bathroom. Give you two a minute.”

He touched my cheek. “For a while, I didn’t know if you were just a dream. I kept seeing flashes of your face in my head. Your eyes… your lips…” he said.

“What do you mean a dream?”

Instead of answering, his lips met mine with such tenderness that it caused a rush of heat throughout my entire body. Just as I melted into his arms, he pulled away.

“Sorry,” he said. “We’re obviously in a lot of danger. I’ll explain everything later. Right now, we have to get you and your friend out of here.”

“You mean Paige?”

His eyes widened. “Uh, yeah. Jesus, someone did a number on her face.”

“This schmuck named Marcus.”

He frowned. “Yeah, I met him. Real ladies man.”

“In his own demented mind.”

“Is it clear?” asked Paige from the bathroom.

“Unfortunately,” said Bryce, tugging playfully at my robe.

“Stop,” I said, laughing. “You can come out, Paige!”

She smiled. “Is it me, or did the temperature in this room rise a few degrees?”

“Very funny,” I answered, although I hadn’t felt this much excitement in days.

“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but put some clothes on, Wild. We need to get moving,” said Bryce.

I picked up the bag that Donnie had given me and looked through it. There was a pair of hiking boots, a size or two too big, a black lacy tank top with spaghetti straps, and an incredibly skimpy pair of white jean shorts. I wasn’t going to complain though, it was better than wearing just underwear. Plus the built-in bra would cover more than the double-D baggy one I’d had to endure.

Bryce reached into the bag and held up a white thong. “You forgot these.”

“You’ve got to be kidding,” I mumbled, grabbing them.

I’d never been much for picking my underwear out of my crack. It was ironic how Donnie picked out something that was a pain in the ass, just like him. Just another reason for making these shmucks pay.

28

“So, I say we just sneak out of here,” said Paige. “Then come back with reinforcements and kick some major ass.”

I stared incredulously at her sudden surge of courage. Less than an hour earlier she’d been trying to talk me out of escaping and wreaking vengeance on Tony and his band of mob brothers. Now with Bryce around, she was full of piss and vinegar.

“I can’t leave yet. I have to find Luke,” he said.

“Who’s Luke?” I asked.

He sighed. “He’s an innocent kid who got caught up in this crap because of me. He’s staying in the hotel somewhere, and I’ve got to get him out of here.”

I nodded. “Okay. I’d also like to help Carly and the others get out of here, too,” I said. “I’m afraid if we wait, it’s going to be too late for them.”

“I don’t think you’ll have a chance of saving Carly right now,” said Paige. There are too many guards where they’re keeping the girls. You’ll never get any of them out of there.”

“Maybe we just need to create a distraction,” I said. I’d been thinking about a distraction for the last couple of hours.”

“Like what?” asked Paige.

“Zombies,” I said. “We need to bring them in to keep Tony and his boys busy.”

Bryce nodded. “That might work.”

“Yeah,” I said. “They’ve got to have a back entrance or loading area in where we can sneak the zombies in.”

Paige snorted. “Sneak the zombies in? You’re kidding me?”

“Seriously,” I said. “We round them up somehow, lure them in, and set them loose. While these guys are shooting zombies, we get the girls out of here.”

Bryce ran a hand through his hair. “It might work. It’s pretty far-fetched, but it might work.”

Just then, there was a loud pounding at the door. “Hey, De Luca! You in there with them broads?” hollered a familiar voice.

“Marcus,” I whispered.

Bryce got up and took out his gun. He unlocked the door and stared down at Marcus, who was holding two bottles of red wine.

“Looks like you got the right idea,” smiled Marcus, staring at me and Paige. “Hope I’m not interrupting anything.”

Bryce shook his head and then got into character. “No, the girls were fighting and I had to step in, you know what I’m saying?”

Marcus nodded and then held up the wine. “I just came by to offer a celebratory glass of wine to Ms. Wild here. She kicked some major zombie ass and I wanted to personally congratulate her.”

“No thanks,” I said quickly. “I’m not a drinker.”

“Come on,” said Marcus. “This is a good year and a very expensive brand. One little glass won’t hurt you.”

“I don’t think you’re supposed to be here,” I said to Marcus.

“I know one thing, this guy shouldn’t be in your room either,” he said with a scowl. “He’s supposed to be guarding on the outside. I’m his superior, however. I can be anywhere I want.”

Bryce cleared his throat. “Well, I think it’s time we both leave and let these two girls get some sleep. I’m sure Tony wants Ms. Wild well-rested so she can put on a good show for him,” said Bryce.

Marcus put the two bottles of wine on the table and removed a bottle opener from his pocket. “How about you go and do your job by standing outside that door, and I’ll make sure these two have everything they need in here,” said Marcus. “Comprende?”

“Listen, asshole,” hissed Paige with her fists clenched. “I, for one, have had enough of your bullshit. You’re a pathetic excuse for a man, and the only thing we need is for you to get the hell out of here!”

Marcus took a step toward her, his eyes burning with anger. “If you don’t shut your trap right now, bitch, I’m going to find another use for it, and I guarantee you won’t be happy.”

Paige glared at him. “I doubt you’d know how to make any female happy.”

Marcus’s face grew red and he raised his hand toward Paige to slap her. Before Bryce or I could react, Paige hauled off and kicked him hard in the nuts.

“Whore!” he screamed, rolling to the ground.

“That’s right, bitch!” she hollered down at his face. “I can fight just as dirty as you!”

“Shit, I think my nuts are bleeding,” he moaned, his face a dark cherry red.

“Oh, crap,” I said, biting back a smile.

Marcus opened his eyes and looked at Bryce. “Kill her,” he wheezed.

Bryce took out his gun, stepped over to Marcus and hit him in the temple, knocking him out.

“Did you kill him?” asked Paige.

“Nah, he’s just out,” said Bryce, grabbing Marcus’s gun. “Let’s tie him up and hide him. Then we’ll move.”

We took a couple belts from our bathrobes and tied his hands and feet, then stuck him in the bathtub.

“I think Luke is staying in the penthouse with Tony, who believes that he’s his nephew. I need to check it out.”

“Obviously we’re coming with,” I said.

He shook his head. “I’d prefer that you hide in a different suite until I come get you.”

“It’s too dangerous to split up,” I said.

He ran a hand through his dark hair and then nodded. “Fine,” he said, handing me the gun. “Let’s just go quickly. I think Tony’s playing poker in the restaurant down below anyway.”

We decided to take the stairs since it was too dangerous to use the elevator. Plus, I didn’t trust the generator. The idea of getting stuck in the elevator seemed more frightening than dealing with zombies or any of Tony’s men.

After ten flights, Paige was gasping in pain from her injuries. “I can’t do it, guys,” she said. “My side still hurts and it’s getting worse.”

Bryce nodded. “Okay, listen, Paige, take Marcus’s gun and stay here in the stairwell. If you hear anyone else coming, get the hell out of here. There’s a women’s bathroom on the main level, north of the concierge counter. Hide in one of the stalls and we’ll come get you.”

She nodded. “Okay. Hurry up.”

I gave Paige a hug and then followed Bryce up to the thirty-seventh floor, where the penthouse was. We stopped at the stairwell.

“Okay, now what?” I asked.

29

He looked at me. “I’m going to knock on the door.”

I stared at him. “Seriously? You’re just going to knock on the door and ask for Luke?”

“Yeah, he’s probably alone, and besides,” he said, raising his gun, “I have this.”

“Wow, that’s ingenious.”

He smiled, sheepishly. “Well, do you have a better idea?”

I smiled bitterly. “No, I guess not.”

Bryce pulled me into his arms. “How about a good luck kiss?”

I looked into his blue eyes and licked my lips. “Um, okay.”

I guess Bryce’s version of a simple kiss was a whole lot different than mine. His mouth crushed against my lips and I held on as the familiar rush of emotions swept through me. I slid my hands up to the back his neck into his wavy black hair and moaned as one of his hands slid across my chest and squeezed. After a while, he moved his mouth away from my lips and down my neck, making me tingle all over. “I’ve missed you,” he whispered against my skin, his breath hot.

“Me too,” I squeaked.

He laughed and released me. “Sorry…” he said.

I blushed. “It’s…”

A noise from somewhere down below startled both of us.

“Shit,” he whispered as the voices became louder.

I grabbed his arm. “Crap, I hope Paige is okay.”

Bryce frowned and then opened the door leading into the hallway, pulling me through.

“She’s a smart girl.”

“I know.”

“Okay, Wild, there it is,” he said, pointing to door labeled “Penthouse.”

I nodded and followed him as he took out his gun. “Wait, stay to the side over there,” he said. “By the elevator.”

When he was satisfied that I was out of the way, he knocked softly on the door. A few seconds later, a woman opened it.

“Well, would you look who the cat dragged in,” chuckled the woman.

“Belinda, I missed you,” answered Bryce. “I just had to see you again. And to thank you for getting me this job.”

I couldn’t see who this woman was, but she sounded generally happy to see Bryce.

“Let me guess, the sex was the best you’d ever had and you still can’t get me out of your head,” said Belinda.

My stomach tightened. What?!

“Something like that,” said Bryce. “I also wanted to see how Luke was doing.”

“He’s here but sleeping right now. Why don’t you come in before Tony gets back and we can catch up,” she said. “Maybe have a little… nightcap?”

“So, you’re alone?”

Belinda chuckled. “Why, are you horny?”

I clenched my fists.

“When there’s a beautiful vision only a few feet away, it certainly does get my blood pumping,” he said.

I couldn’t resist any longer, I took a quick peek around the corner and my jaw dropped. A cougar, with overly-processed bleach-blond hair, leathery skin, and long, red nails was flirting with Bryce and he just stood there with a stupid grin on his face. To top it off, she wore black stilettos and a leopard-skin bodysuit that pushed up her obviously fake boobs.

“Oh, you are a naughty boy, aren’t you?” she giggled, touching his dark hair.

“That’s me,” he said. “Naughty boy.”

The woman, who had to be closer to sixty, flung her arms around Bryce and pressed her lips to his.

“That’s it,” I growled, coming around the corner. “Get your paws off my boyfriend before I show you how naughty I can be.”

Belinda stepped back. “Boyfriend? Who the hell is she, Bryce?”

He sighed. “She’s my girlfriend.”

Belinda shook her head. “Well, that’s not cool, cheating on your girlfriend. I thought you were better than that.”

“What?” I asked. “You’ve been cheating on me with her?” You’ve got to be kidding.

“Listen, can we go inside and talk about this?” asked Bryce.

“Come in, honey,” said Belinda, motioning to me. “I don’t blame you one bit for being angry. Men can be such pigs.”

I nodded and then followed her in, scowling at Bryce.

“Seriously, Wild?” he said, looking at me with a slightly amused expression. “Don’t even go there.”

Belinda, who didn’t seem to hear Bryce, lit a cigarette and took a long drag. Then she smiled apologetically at me. “Listen, I’m sure he thought you were dead when we had sex, honey. Don’t blame him.”

My jaw dropped, once again, and I glared at Bryce, who stood behind her. He shook his head vehemently.

Just then the bathroom door opened. “Bryce!” smiled a teenager dressed in pajamas.

“Hey, Luke!”

Luke stared at me and smiled. “Hey, who’s the babe?”

“That’s Cassie. Get dressed, kid, we’re leaving.”

“What do you mean leaving?” asked Belinda.

“Yeah, what do you mean?” asked Luke. “I love it here.”

“It’s a great hotel, but you can’t stay here. This operation of Tony’s is an abomination. He’s killing innocent women. Ask Cassie.”

“What are you talking about?” said Belinda. “Tony’s making adult movies.”

I snorted. “Adults shouldn’t even watch the movies he’s making.”

Belinda’s eyebrows rose. “I still don’t understand. He isn’t making adult movies?”

“He’s created this game,” I said. “It involves innocent women dying at the hands of zombies. They kidnap women and force them to play the game.”

Belinda’s eyes blazed and she stood up. “What the hell? Are you serious?”

I nodded. “Yes. I’ve played the game and watched two other women get eaten alive. It was horrifying.”

“That son-of-a-bitch,” growled Belinda as she began to pace angrily around the room. “Adult movies is one thing. Shit, I used to star in pornos when I was younger. But this… this is pure bullshit.”

That explained a lot.

“It is,” said Bryce. “That’s why we’ve got to get the hell out of here.”

“Okay,” she said. “If you don’t mind, I’m coming with you. I don’t trust him, and I certainly don’t condone killing innocent women.”

Before we could respond, the door opened up and Tony walked in with two of his thugs. All three of them were holding guns.

“Put the gun down,” growled Tony. “There are three of us and only one of you holding a gun. Unless you want to watch Wild die first?”

Bryce gave him the gun.

“So, what’s going on in here, Belinda?” asked Tony, waving his gun around. “You having a little party without me?”

She ignored him. “Is it true, Tony?” she asked, her eyes flashing angrily.

He shrugged. “What?”

She walked up to him and pointed at his face. “That you’ve concocted some kind of game where you feed women to zombies?”

A purely evil grin spread across his face. “It’s true. Pretty ingenious. isn’t it?”

“Ingenious?” barked Belinda.

“You mean barbaric,” I said.

“Are you insane?” she asked.

“I’m a businessman,” he said. “And a successful one at that. Don’t get all holier than thou with me, Belinda, you aint no saint.”

“What are you talking about? A businessman?” hollered Belinda. “We’re in the middle of a damn zombie apocalypse if you haven’t noticed!”

“First of all, this shit isn’t going to last forever. It’s just a burp in time. When all this garbage is cleared up, there’s going to be a demand, and I’m going to be prepared.”

She snorted. “A demand for what?”

“Drugs. coke, heroin, pot, uppers, downers, you name it,” he said with a look of contempt. “You don’t have a clue about the real world, so don’t even try to argue with me.”

“I know right from wrong,” she cried, “and what you’re doing is definitely wrong.”

“I’ll tell you what’s wrong, what your friends did to Marcus. You know, your nephew?” snapped Tony.

“Marcus?” asked Belinda.

“They beat him up and stuck him in the bathtub.”

“That true?” she asked Bryce.

He nodded. “Well, a girl did it, but he kind of asked for it.”

“He beat up my friend really bad,” I said.

Belinda sighed. “What the hell did you drag me into, Tony?” she asked.

“I didn’t drag you into anything. You came to me,” he said.

“Well, I’m not going to be a part of this shit,” she said, picking up her purse. “I’m leaving and so are my friends.”

Tony burst out laughing. “You can leave, I have no problem with that, Bel, but Wild and this prick here aren’t. No fucking way. I especially need Wild for the next game. And Bryce – he double-crossed me, so I think I’m going to let him play, too.”

I glanced at Bryce. I didn’t know if he had a plan or what I should do. The fact that we were staring down the barrels of three guns didn’t give us many options.

“No, Tony. You have to let Bryce go and his girl,” said Belinda.

Tony’s face darkened. “I don’t have to do nothing. In fact, you keep this up, and I might have to let you play.”

Just then, the door burst open again and it was Marcus. He stared at us with murder in his eyes. “Where’s the other bitch?” he growled, looking around.

Thank goodness Paige wasn’t with us.

“Check the bedrooms,” said Tony. “You three get on the couch and keep your mouths shut. Luke, what do you have to say about all of this?”

Luke swallowed. “I, um… I like zombie games?”

Tony went over and put an arm around his shoulders. “Good answer, kid. Why don’t you go back to bed? Don’t let this shit bother you.”

Luke nodded and then shuffled quietly back to his bedroom.

When Tony was satisfied that nobody else was in the penthouse, he grabbed my arm and pulled me out of the couch. “Where’s your friend?” he asked.

I shrugged.

Tony’s mouth twisted into a scowl and he grabbed me by the back of the hair.

“Owwww!!!” I hollered.

His eyes glared into mine. “I ask you again… where’s your friend?!”

“Leave her alone!” growled Bryce as two of Tony’s guys restrained him.

Tony slapped me across the face. “Where’s your friend?” he asked again.

Tears filled my eyes but I remained silent.

“Hey!” yelled Belinda, who rushed forward and began hitting him in the chest. “Leave her alone! She’s just a kid!”

He let go of my hair and backhanded Belinda, who fell backward. “You stay out of it!”

Belinda screamed as she got up off the floor. “You son-of-a-bitch! I oughta kill you!”

Tony laughed mirthlessly. “Is that how you treat family, Bel?”

“Screw you,” she said, spitting into his face.

His face turned beet-red as he grabbed her by the neck and shoved her against the wall. “You just gave me a great idea. See, you are gonna be the next contestant in tonight’s game. In fact, you’re definitely all playing.”

The room was completely silent except for Belinda’s sobs. When he finally released her, she slid to the floor and covered her face. I had an urge to comfort her, but the incredible rage on Tony’s face scared the crap out of me.

“Now,” said Tony as he took out a handkerchief and wiped the beads of sweat from his forehead. “Bring them down to the pool. The next game will be in an hour. I want all of them ready. And find that other girl!”

30

When they brought us down to the main floor, we passed the bathroom where we’d told Paige to meet us. With Marcus’s gun, she was our only chance to escape.

“Um, can I use the bathroom?” I asked Donnie, who’d met us by the elevator.

“You can use the one by the pool,” he said.

“But I really have to go now,” I pleaded.

He shrugged. “Too bad. I’m done with giving you special treatment.”

I swore under my breath and followed behind Bryce as we were ushered into the pool atrium. This time the zombies were already waiting in the cage on the deep-end and there were ten of them this time. They snarled and reached out toward us as we passed them. Their stench alone made my stomach roll.

“Holy shit,” said Belinda. “Are you kidding me?”

“Yeah, nothing holy about their shit, though,” I stated.

“Now, this is how it’s going to be,” said Donnie, pointing his gun at all of us. “The game doesn’t start for forty minutes, so you’re going to sit in the pool and behave while we set everything up.”

“Donnie,” pleaded Belinda. “Come on, hon. Don’t let Tony do this,” she said. “I’ve known you since we was kids. I used to babysit you, for Christ’s sake.”

He scowled at her. “Oh yeah, I remember you hollerin’ at me all the time and puttin’ me in bed early so you could drink my parents’ liquor, get high, and screw your good-for-nothin’ boyfriends.”

Her jaw dropped. “I never sent you to bed early.”

Donnie wagged his finger at her. “Seven o’clock, Belinda. You made me go to bed when all the good shows came on. I mean, shit, I missed Rockford Files and Hawaii Five-O whenever you was over. Those were my favorite!”

“Forty years later and you’re still bitter?” remarked Bryce.

Donnie turned to Bryce and scowled. “Shut up. I’m going to enjoy watching you die, you shithead.”

Bryce shook his head and smiled.

As we were shoved toward the shallow end of the pool, I heard a familiar voice somewhere close.

“Get your hands off of me, you piece of shit!”

Nora!

“You bitch,” hollered Marcus. “Nobody bites me. Johnny, would you hold her!”

There was a loud slap and I held my breath, wondering what was happening.

“She just hit me!” yelled Marcus. “Jesus, could you restrain her a little better?!”

I smiled, thinking about the nice red mark on Marcus’s face.

“What is with these teenaged girls?” growled Marcus. “They’re all a bunch of little she-devils.”

Then I watched as Marcus and Johnny dragged Nora into the atrium while she fought like a wildcat to get away. She was definitely giving them both a good fight and I was surprised they hadn’t threatened her with a gun.

“Oh, for crying out loud, control that girl,” barked Donnie.

Nora stopped struggling when she noticed the zombies on one end of the pool and us in the other.

“Into the pool,” said Marcus.

Confusion turned to horror as it became clear to her what was happening.

“You get it now? You’ve just been selected as another contestant for the game,” spat Marcus. “You crazy broad!”

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” she snapped.

“No joking here,” snapped Donnie. “Marcus, get her into the pool.”

“Don’t you dare touch me again,” glared Nora as she stomped toward us, dressed this time in jeans and a T-shirt.

“Okay, all of you – sit down and behave,” said Donnie, waving his gun around, “before I start shooting every one of you shitheads.”

“You can’t treat me like this!” hollered Belinda. “I’m family, for God’s sake.”

“Not my family,” said Donnie.

“Marcus,” she said, pleading. “What would your mother say if she knew you was feeding her sister to the zombies?”

Marcus laughed. “She’d have been smart and kept her yap shut. Unlike her big-mouthed sister.”

“My family is really screwed up,” said Belinda.

“You think?” asked Nora.

Belinda covered her face with her hands and began sobbing.

“Don’t worry,” said Bryce, putting an arm around her. “We’re going to get out of this.”

She must not have believed him because she started crying even harder.

“Wild, what the hell kind of shit did you get me into?” huffed Nora as she sat down next to me.

I raised my eyebrows. “What? I didn’t get you into anything!” I whispered loudly.

“Right.”

“Nora, how’d you wind up here?” asked Bryce.

“Been looking for Wild,” she said, nodding toward me. “When Billie and I found this hotel, I used myself as bait and they kidnapped me, too.”

“Where’s Billie?” I asked.

Her mouth twisted into a grin. “He’s around,” she said. “And don’t worry, he’s not alone.”

31

Marcus and Johnny left the atrium to have a cigarette and to round up the rest of their prisoners. When they returned with the scared group of women, Carly, who looked exhausted, was also forced into the pool.

“You got a free life last game,” smiled Donnie. “Let’s see if you’ll survive this round.”

Carly scowled and flipped him off.

“No, sweetheart,” chuckled Donnie. “You’ve got it backwards. You’re the one that’s screwed.”

She shook her head in disgust and walked over to me.

“Hi, Carly,” I said.

She squeezed my hand and smiled sadly. “Hey, kid.”

“Hey, listen… I have an idea,” said Bryce under his breath. “When they release the zombies, we lead ‘em toward our captors.”

I nodded. “Yeah, that might just work if they don’t shoot us first.”

“There are too many of Tony’s men,” said Belinda. “We’d never pull it off.”

“If we don’t try something, many of us are going to die,” said Bryce. “I can hold my own against some of these zombies, but let’s face it; without a weapon, none of you girls are safe.”

“Hello? Nora and I know karate,” I said.

“But, Cassie, it takes more than a few karate moves to kill the zombies,” he said. “You know that.”

Carly grabbed my arm. “Your first name is Cassie?”

I nodded.

She sighed. “Well, your mom’s been searching all over for you.”

I raised my eyebrows. “You know my mom?”

She nodded. “Kris, right?”

I smiled. “Yes, Kris Wild.”

“I guess I didn’t even make a connection before. I’ve been too worried about staying alive,” said Carly, rubbing her forehead.

“I can’t believe you know my mom. Do you have any news about my sister, Allie?”

Before she could answer, Tony showed up and demanded everyone’s attention.

“Oh, good, everyone’s here,” said Tony, “Mikey, you got the cameras ready?”

“Yeah,” hollered Mikey.

Tony nodded. “Good. We’ll be live in ten minutes.”

“Oh, for the love of God, Tony!” hollered Belinda. “What in the hell are you doing?”

“God had nothing to do with this, Belinda,” he answered, “and I have nothing more to say to you.”

“What happened to you?” she moaned. “You was once a decent kid.”

“Now I’m a leader in this shitty world, and as far as being decent? Well, I make a hell of a decent living,” he said with a smug look.

The zombies were getting restless in the cage, some of them attacking each other. The groans and snarls were enough to make the hair stand up on the back of my neck.

“Oh, I forgot,” smiled Tony as two of his goons showed up carrying a plastic bag. “I was going to make you all strip, but the thought of seeing Belinda running around naked left a bad taste in my mouth. So, we’re going to make this more interesting by doing something a little differently.”

“Oh, goody,” said Carly.

“You… shaddup!” hollered Donnie.

“See, I’ve watched Wild in action, and I know De Luca would put up a good fight. That’s why I’m going to handcuff those two together,” Tony said, reaching into the bag. “That should even up the odds a little bit. Make it a bit more fun.”

“Fun for who?” snapped Nora.

“Why, for us, obviously,” answered Tony with an evil grin.

I looked at Bryce, who looked pissed as all hell.

“Just remember, De Luca,” said Donnie. “You put yourself in this situation. Now, you’ve gotta pay.”

The next thing I knew, we were approached by two of Tony’s men and handcuffed, back to back.

“Listen, I’ll do the running,” whispered Bryce. “I’ll lean forward and you can ride my back.”

Normally I’d have been excited about touching Bryce, but the thought of us getting mauled by zombies together was utterly horrifying. I knew if I was attacked and couldn’t defend myself, I’d be dead weight for Bryce. He’d never survive.

“Okay,” I answered with uncertainty.

“Just remember, no matter what happens, I love you, Wild,” he whispered, lacing a couple of his fingers through mine.

I let out a ragged breath. “I love you, too, Bryce.”

A few minutes later, we were live on the Internet and Tony was giving his usual “Welcoming” speech.

“Tonight we have a treat for all of yous watching,” said Tony. “We have ten zombies instead of five, and our main event fighter, Ms. Wild, will be handcuffed to another player. Get your popcorn ready and enjoy the show.”

Then, as before, the zombies were released and dropped to the bottom of the pool.

“Holy crap,” muttered Nora as they stumbled to their feet and began charging.

Before I knew what was happening, Bryce had me on his back and was running toward the steps of the pool.

“I don’t think so, De Luca,” snapped Donnie as he aimed his gun, forcing us back in.

I heard screaming from Belinda and angry cussing from Nora as the zombies attacked and they fended them off. One of the zombies approached us and I yelled. “Turn around, I’ll kick him!”

Bryce turned around and I began kicking with all of my might at a zombie, whose eye hung down his cheek by some kind of fleshy tendril. I kicked him in the stomach and he fell backwards. Then another approached and I kicked him between the legs. Unfortunately, it didn’t have much of an effect.

“Shit,” mumbled Bryce as another zombie approached him from the side. He then leaned forward so that I was flat on his back and rushed toward the zombie, head-butting him. The zombie flew backwards and landed on the ground, growling.

“Damn, you have a hard head,” I said.

“Yeah, but that wasn’t good,” said Bryce, clutching his forehead.

“You okay?” I asked with concern.

“Just some minor head trauma, but I’ll get over it,” he replied between clenched teeth.

I glanced around the pool at the others. Carly was trying to help Belinda by showing her how to hammer a stiletto into a zombie’s eye. Belinda appeared totally fascinated and quickly took the other one off to go after a tall, skinny male zombie trying to crawl toward her. I turned and groaned, Nora was about to be outnumbered by zombies.

“Watch out, Nora!” I screamed, lurching forward with Bryce. Unfortunately, I didn’t account for his weight and we both tumbled to the ground.

“Dammit,” said Bryce.

“Sorry,” I said, trying to see Nora, who now had one female zombie by the hair and was ramming her face into the side of the pool. I watched in horror as another rushed up behind her and grabbed her by the arm. Luckily, she was able to yank it free, and she ended up elbowing him in the face before he could bite her. When he fell down, she swung the female toward him until they were both sprawled out on the floor. She then jumped into the air, crushing both of their skulls with her steel-toed boots. Blood and brain matter painted the side of the pool and I sighed in relief. It was horribly disgusting, but effective.

“Yeah!” she shouted as another female zombie stumbled toward her. “That’s right, bitch – I’ve got skills! You want me to share ‘em with you?!”

“Nice,” I laughed and shook my head. Nora was the only one truly enjoying herself.

“I like that crazy bimbo,” chuckled Marcus.

Oh no he didn’t…

I smiled in anticipation.

Nora’s head whipped around and it felt like all of the noise was sucked from the room. Was it my imagination, or did the remaining zombies pause as well?

“Bimbo!?” growled Nora, who suddenly sounded like a demon from hell.

Marcus shrugged. “What? What’s the problem?”

I believe that his location near the shallow end of the pool was his ultimate demise. Before anyone could comprehend what was actually happening, Nora took a running leap toward Marcus, using fallen zombies as steps to launch herself on top of him. From that point on, he was as good as dead.

“Help!” choked Marcus as she pummeled the side of his face with both fists. He lay there helpless, and the only reason I believe he couldn’t properly defend himself was the beating he took earlier from Paige and Bryce.

Tony stood up and hollered, “What the hell is the matter with you, Marcus!?”

Donnie started toward Nora with his gun raised, but before he could fire it off, there were shouts and gunfire coming from everywhere else.

“Get down!” someone yelled.

Billie?

Bryce pushed me against the side of the pool, covering my body with his as we listened to the war being fought all around us. Only when the room became silent, did he release me so we could find out what was going on.

“Oh, thank God,” said Carly before I had a chance to see what she was talking about.

Tony, Donnie, and about seven or eight goons lay on the ground, their lifeless eyes reflecting the shock they’d felt before taking their last breath. The zombies in the pool had also been riddled with bullets and were no longer a threat. The remaining prisoners had taken off somewhere, while Belinda, Nora, Carly, Bryce, and myself were the only ones left standing.

“Took you long enough,” yelled Nora as she wiped her bloodied hands on her jeans.

I watched in awe as Billie jogged toward us from where he’d been hiding behind a large sculptured torso of a Greek god.

“Do you ever stop complaining?” he asked as she lifted herself off of Marcus’s still form.

“Nora,” smiled Paige, jogging in from the hallway. “Awesome job on that creep!”

Nora snorted. “He’s lucky one of the bullets hit his head or I would have kept going.”

“I can’t believe it!” I laughed, pulling Bryce toward them. I’d never been so happy to see anyone, except for Bryce, of course, in my life.

But in the next moment, I was proven wrong.

“Cassie!”

I looked up toward the second floor of the atrium and completely lost it. My father and mother were waving to me, both wielding smiles, along with their couple AK-47 rifles.

“We’ll be right there, honey!” cried my mother, who threw me an air kiss.

“Mom and dad!” I choked, not quite believing it was them. I tried to brush the tears of joy from my cheeks, but I was still handcuffed to Bryce. He must have known I was overwhelmed with emotions because he squeezed my fingers.

“You guys okay?” asked Billie, coming toward us.

“We are now. Thanks to you,” I said.

“Thank Paige and Nora,” said Billie. “They got the ball rolling.”

“I will definitely do that after someone removes these handcuffs,” I said.

Bryce grunted. “Leaving me so soon? I thought you liked being this close to me.”

I chuckled. “Not so much in this position, Bryce. You’re kind of a maniac, storming around with me on your back, it’s kind of painful. Plus, I can smell your hair from here; kind of a ‘zombie with a touch of fresh decay’ scent.”

Paige, who’d managed to locate the keys for our handcuffs, sighed. “God, I was terrified when I found out you were caught,” she said, unlocking the cuffs. “I heard you asking to use the bathroom earlier and I really thought it was all over.”

“Oh ye of little faith,” I said with a smile. “I survived getting bitten by Eva, and if I could do that…”

She snorted. “Fighting ten zombies and a group of drug dealers was nothing. I got it.”

“Cassie!” cried my mother, rushing toward me, my dad in tow. She threw her arms around me and I closed my eyes, relieved that I’d been given back both of my parents. “I thought I’d lost you,” she murmured, holding me so tight, I could barely breathe. It was the best feeling in the world.

“Not me,” choked my dad, wrapping his arms around both of us. After a few seconds, he let out a long, shaky breath and released us. “She’s the ‘Wild One’, remember? In fact, both my daughters are tough as nails. Chips off the old block, just like their old man.”

My mom smiled down at me. “Well, Cassie, I guess I should be happy that your old man talked me into letting you learn how to fire a gun and take karate lessons.”

“You’re damn right,” he replied. “It’s probably the reason she survived without me.”

“Yeah, well, it definitely came in handy,” I said.

“I’m happy she did, too,” replied Bryce. “Or I’d have never met her.”

My dad’s eyes narrowed for a fraction of a second before he finally broke down and smiled. “I have to admit that I’m very proud of you, too, Bryce. You’re a good kid and helped save my daughter numerous times. What I’m trying to say, is that you… have my permission to date her, when the world is safe again to do that.”

Bryce bit back a smile and nodded. “Well, thank you very much, sir.”

I cleared my throat “So, how’s Allie?” I asked, almost afraid of the answer. “Is she… okay?”

My mom nodded and squeezed my hand. “She’s doing very well. She’s just worried about you.”

My eyes refilled with tears. “Thank God! I’ve been so worried about her. I wasn’t sure if she’d made it or not. I kept praying…”

“Your sister has been worried about you, too,” said my mom. “She’s going to be so happy to see you.”

“Kris,” called out Carly, who was helping Belinda out of the pool. “Can you believe it? Your family’s safe.”

Mom walked over to Carly and threw her arms around her. “So are you. I can’t tell you how worried I was when you disappeared.”

“They took me by surprise,” she answered. “I’ve been here for a couple of days, and the funny thing is, that when I met Cassie, I had no idea she was your daughter.”

“This is truly a miracle,” said my mother.

My dad picked up his rifle. “Well, I think we’d better get the hell out of here. Kristie needs to know that Paige is safe.”

“Yeah. By the way, how in the world did you find us?” I asked.

He sighed. “We’ve been scouring the city day and night for you and Paige. It was by chance that I noticed her running away from the hotel earlier. Good thing we were armed or I don’t if things would have turned out in our favor.”

“Yeah,” said Billie. “I’m a horrible shot, so if it wasn’t for your parents, I don’t know what would have happened.”

“That’s an understatement,” snickered Nora, who’d been busy picking guns off the dead criminals. “You couldn’t even commit suicide without missing.”

“Wow, has Nora always been this witty?” asked Billie, crossing his arms across his chest.

“No, you just have that effect on me,” she replied.

I was starting to think the effect he had on her was something entirely else, from the way she was looking at him. He didn’t seem to have a clue, either.

Men.

I walked over and gave Billie a quick hug. “That’s okay, Billie,” I said. “We all appreciate your help.”

“Thank you,” he said, giving Nora a sideways glance. “I haven’t felt appreciated at all, since you disappeared.”

“Oh, stop being such a whiner,” said Nora.

He glared at her.

She glared back. “Fine, you’ve done a great job, okay? Feel better?”

“Gee, thanks Nora,” he replied.

Nora rolled her eyes.

“Everyone ready to roll?” interrupted my dad.

“We have to get a friend of mine, Luke,” said Bryce. “He’s up in the penthouse.”

Belinda, who’d been in a silent kind of daze the entire time, cleared her throat. “Well, um, he is my nephew and should probably stay with me,” she said. “In fact, you all are welcome here. This hotel is pretty secure and the generator’s still working.”

“You know,” answered my dad. “This place would be an ideal zombie fallout shelter. It has to be better than the warehouse we’ve been staying in.”

I nodded. “It’s pretty nice. Or at least it will be once we get the dead bodies out of here.”

We all looked down at the bodies and grimaced.

My dad sighed. “Let’s let Dr. Schultzenheimer and the others know we’ve secured this place. He can probably move his lab over here, too. It’ll be much safer for everyone, especially the children.”

“My God!” gasped Bryce with a stricken look on his face. “Bobby! How could I have forgotten? Is he okay?”

My dad nodded and smiled. “He’s doing fine. Misses you, but we’ve been keeping him entertained.”

Bryce looked mortified. “I just can’t believe… how could I forget about that little guy? He’s everything to me.”

I grabbed his hand and squeezed. “It’s okay.”

“Man, I feel like such a jerk. I still can’t believe I’d forgotten about my own little brother.” He scowled. “I had some kind of injury and things are just coming back to me. Slowly, too slowly apparently.”

“You’re alive, and that’s what counts,” said my dad. “We’ll take you with us so you can be reunited. I’ve even taken him under my wing. He’s a very special kid.”

“He really is,” agreed Bryce. “Thanks for looking out for him.”

Seeing that Bryce was still torn up about Bobby, my mom walked over to him and gave him a hug. “You know, Bobby is going to be so excited to see you. Don’t be so hard on yourself. He’s taking all of this very well.”

“I guess it’s kind of a blessing that he has Down’s,” said Bryce. “Most young kids would have lost it, or completely shut down.”

“Rest assured that Bobby is probably taking this whole thing better than most of us,” answered my mother. “He’s always smiling.”

“Good,” said Bryce. “I can’t wait to see him.”

“Let’s get back to the warehouse and talk to the others. Belinda, isn’t it?” asked my dad, turning to her.

She nodded. “Yes. Just call me Bel.”

“Okay, Bel. Why don’t you take Carly, go back up to the penthouse, and lock yourselves up there until we get back. Billie and Nora can stay put in the lobby and keep any unwanted dead from finding a way in. Then when we get back, we’ll get rid of the filth in the atrium.”

Belinda smiled and grabbed Carly’s hand. “Let’s go, Carly. I think both of us could use a drink.”

“Save one for me,” smiled my dad. “It’s been a long week.”

“Ready, Wild?” asked Bryce, grabbing my hand.

I nodded and then glanced back at my parents, who were also holding hands and looking rather pleased. She whispered something to him and he laughed heartily, then he reached over and kissed her on the lips. The look on her face was of pure happiness and it made me smile. Now that I’d fallen madly for Bryce, I had a new appreciation for my parents’ relationship.

“I can’t wait to see Bobby,” said Bryce.

“I can’t wait to see Allie,” I answered as we walked out of the atrium. “I feel like it’s been a lifetime since I’ve last seen her.”

“Your dad’s right. It has been a long couple of weeks,” he said.

Bryce had just pulled me toward the lobby of the hotel when the ding of the elevator surprised us all. I turned around and watched as one of the elevator doors opened up, and as if in slow motion, Rico stepped out and began firing at everyone. Bryce quickly pulled me through the revolving doors, but not before the sound of my parents’ cries were forever etched in my memory.

Two weeks later….

32

Everyone was moved from the warehouse to the hotel, and soon after, we held a special ceremony for my parents, as well as for Carly, who’d also been killed by the gunfire, to honor their memories. I was there, but can honestly say I don’t remember much. The pain in my heart had been so overwhelming, that all I could do was clench my fists and keep from screaming at the top of my lungs. I’d felt like someone had played a cruel joke by bringing us together, just so that I could watch my parents die.

After the service was over, I’d stayed in bed for two days until Bryce found me sulking under my covers and dragged me out of it.

“You have to keep going,” he said. “There are still people who love you and need you. Don’t do this.”

“Two of those people died,” I mumbled into my pillow.

“But the rest of us are still here,” he said.

So was the pain, and it was burning a hole in my heart.

“At least get up for your sister,” he pleaded. “She really needs you.”

My sister.

She was what finally gave me the willpower to get out of bed. Plus, I was tired of the terrifying nightmares, which were relentless and full of nothing but death and misery. I was tormented by them within minutes of closing my eyes, whether it was day or night, it didn’t matter.

After I finally left the solitude of my bed, I went the other extreme and tried to avoid sleep by drinking energy drinks and staying busy by helping to organize the new shelter, scouting for zombies, or giving blood samples to Dr. Schultzenheimer for his research.

As expected, my sister hadn’t taken their deaths well, either. She’d cried nonstop for two days, and then when she couldn’t produce any more tears, she just quit making any kind of noise. She just sat in her room all day, staring out the window. It was hard getting her to eat or even shower. To me, she seemed like a shell of her old self. I couldn’t really blame her. Hell, I was barely hanging on myself.

“You have to do something,” pleaded Kylie after trying to talk Allie into getting out of her room. “It’s been two weeks. She doesn’t even respond to Goldie anymore.”

I guess when Allie and Goldie had first met, she’d fallen in love with the bundle of energy, and they’d been like two peas in a pod, totally inseparable. Now the poor dog was confused because my sister wouldn’t play with her anymore. Goldie returned to my bed every night but I could tell that she was also affected by the somberness in the air.

I stared at her. “Like what? I don’t know how to get through to her. She’s devastated, and frankly, I understand it. She just needs more time.”

“It’s much worse than that, and you’re her sister. She needs you.”

“She needs more than me.”

Kristie, who was stacking supplies in the hotel’s pantry, must have heard our conversation because she had to put in her two cents. “No,” she said, squeezing my shoulder. “You both need each other. Now, more than anything.”

The truth of the matter was that I was overwhelmed with guilt. My parents had come to my rescue and had lost their lives because of it. Whenever I looked at Allie, I felt like I’d betrayed the both of us. I should have done something more to help them. I’d let my guard down, and now the two people who brought me into this world were gone forever. And even worse, today was my eighteenth birthday. The pain of them not sharing it with me was just another reminder of what I’d lost.

“I’ll see what I can do,” I said, walking away.

Later that afternoon, Bryce came to the hotel suite that Allie and I were sharing. She was sleeping in her bedroom and I was feeling sorry for myself, thinking about the year before and how special it had been. My parents had thrown a big party for my birthday and all of my relatives and friends had been there. It now felt like a dream.

“You too busy to talk again?” asked Bryce as he kneeled down to pet Goldie.

I’d been doing my best to avoid him the last couple of weeks but was secretly pleased with his persistence to be near me.

I stared at the twin dragons on his forearms, remembering the first time we’d met. Everything was so innocent then, and it felt like eons ago. “I guess not.”

“Hey, girl,” he said, laughing at the dog’s antics.

I watched Goldie attack him playfully, jumping on his legs, nuzzling his face, totally starved for attention. Even I felt ashamed of not giving her enough time lately.

“So,” he said, standing back up. “Happy birthday.” He then walked toward me and pulled me into his arms.

I closed my eyes and inhaled his slight woodsy scent. “Thanks,” I murmured, enjoying the new cologne.

He lifted my chin and smiled. “So… you’re legal now, Wild.”

I shook my head.

“What?” he asked with laughter in his.

Of course I knew what he was talking about. I could feel his desire every time he held me close. I was kind of impressed, though, that he hadn’t put any kind of pressure on me.

Goldie was over by her food dish so I stepped away from him and grabbed her bag of food. “Legal, huh? To whom or for what?” I asked, pouring kibble into the dog’s dish.

“Open up your imagination,” he said with a devilish grin.

I turned to him and raised my eyebrows.

He burst out laughing and then grabbed me by my waist. “Oh, Wild.”

“Obviously, I know what you’re talking about,” I said. “But I thought you and Belinda had something special going on.”

He rolled his eyes. “God – you still won’t let up about that. Nothing happened!”

“That’s not what she remembers, you ‘dirty boy’,” I said with a cocky grin.

I knew he’d never have sex with her, memory loss or not. It was pretty funny, though, and I just couldn’t bring myself to stop teasing him.

“Well, I am a dirty boy,” he said, pulling me closer. “But I’m all yours. Hope you like your guys dirty.”

“As long as they don’t smell like zombies, have clean nails, and can watch my back, I like ‘em.”

“Oh, I’ve got your back,” he said, putting one of his hands on my rear. I blushed as his ice-blue eyes burned into mine. “Seriously, though, how are you really doing?”

I looked down. “Well, I’m just trying to deal with things.”

“Wild, look at me,” he said, raising my chin with his fingers. “You don’t have to do it alone, you know.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat. “I’ll be fine.”

“You’ll be fine?”

I nodded and rested my cheek against his chest.

He sighed and ran his fingers through the back of my hair. “It tears me up inside, knowing the pain you’re in. Jesus, girl, you don’t have to be so brave all the time. Let me help you.”

“Bryce, I’m not going to burden you with all of my problems,” I answered, stepping away. “You have enough of your own. Plus, you have a little boy to raise now, and I’m not going to make that any harder.”

“Come on, there’s nothing that you could do that would make it harder for me to care for Bobby. If anything, you make my life easier. You definitely make it better.”

I couldn’t help but smile. “Well, you make mine better, too,” I said softly.

He grabbed my wrist, pulling me back into his arms. “Cassie, you’re so… beautiful,” he said. “I could just drink you in all day long.”

“Um, thanks,” I said, feeling my cheeks burn.

He smiled down at me with amusement, licked his lips and then pressed them to mine.

I relaxed and slipped my hands around his neck, drawing him closer. Soon, his tongue was in my mouth and his hands were exploring unchartered territories. When his fingertips slipped back under my shirt and touched my skin, I shivered.

“You’re either cold or you’re enjoying it as much as I am,” he whispered.

I didn’t say anything. I just grabbed the front of his T-shirt, pulled him with me to the couch, and settled onto his lap.

“Taking charge again, I see,” he whispered with a sexy grin, before I shut him up with my lips.

I closed my eyes as our tongues danced together, enjoying the way he tasted and smelled. I slid my hands up to the back of his neck and into his hair, running my fingers through the short, dark strands, and let out a satisfied sigh.

There was no other place in the world that I wanted to be.

When his lips moved from my mouth and made a hot trail down my neck, I moaned and pressed against his lap.

He suddenly removed his hands and mouth. “Oh, God… not here,” he said, his voice husky. “Not like this.”

I nodded. “Right. My sister may walk out of her room.”

“You know,” he said, kissing my lips again. “I’d love to keep doing this, but I really came here to invite you to dinner.”

“Dinner?” I answered, feeling somewhat disappointed. We were safe and alone for the first time in ages, and he was thinking about food.

His eyes glinted with humor; he must have sensed my disappointment, too. “Yes, is that okay? I mean, since it’s your eighteenth birthday, I thought I’d invite you to a romantic dinner.”

“Okay,” I said.

He smiled. “Good. By the way, my first present should be arriving just before dinner.”

My eyebrows shot up. “First present?”

He nodded and then planted another kiss on my lips. “I’ll be here to pick you up at six o’clock.”

“Wow, it sounds like a real date.”

“It is,” he said. “So, be ready.”

“Okay.”

“Other than that, meet me downstairs in an hour for class.”

Last week, Bryce and Tiny had started a training program to help the other survivors learn some self-defense against the zombies, as well as other criminals they might encounter. It was a little martial arts mixed in with street fighting and wrestling. I hadn’t even checked it out yet, I’d been too busy mourning my parents.

I sighed. “Fine.”

“And bring Allie.”

“She isn’t going to come,” I said. “She won’t even leave her room.”

“Make her.”

“That’s easier said than done.”

“Dammit, Wild,” he said. “You’re her older sister and now her guardian. She’s only twelve and needs someone to guide her. Make her come to class. It will do her good. It will do you both good.”

“Well, I’ll try.”

He pointed at me. “Do, don’t try.”

I pointed back. “You’re so damn bossy.”

He smiled. “It gets me what I want and I want to see you and Allie in the workout room in an hour. Don’t make me come and get you two.”

“Well, I’ll try my best to wake the princess.”

“Doing is much better. Never try, just do.”

I saluted him. “Yes, sir.”

“Now you’re catching on.”

I slugged him playfully and he grabbed both my arms. “Save most of your energy for tonight, though,” he said and kissed me again. “So we can continue where we left off.”

I smiled. “You’re pretty sure of yourself, aren’t you?”

“Confidence builds character.”

“Right,” I snorted.

After he left, I went into Allie’s room. She was in bed with the covers pulled over her face. I opened the drapes to let some light in and she groaned.

“Rise and shine, Allie Ballie,” I said.

“Go away,” she mumbled.

I folded my arms across my chest. “No. You have to get up. You’ve been in bed all day again, and it’s not good for you.”

She rolled over. “I’m sick.”

I walked to the bed and grabbed the blanket from her. “You probably feel sick because you’re not taking care of yourself. Now get in the shower. We’re going to eat something quick, and then meet Bryce downstairs for a self-defense class.”

“Right,” she said. “How about I meet you down there?”

“How about… no?” I answered. “You’re getting up and moving out of this bed.”

“Or what?” she asked with tears in her eyes. “You’re going to tell mom?”

I sat down on her bed. “I only wish I could. But I can’t, and I know how painful it is. It sucks. It’s total crap. But there’s nothing we can do about it now.”

She began to cry and I took her into my arms. “I miss them so much,” she sobbed.

I closed my eyes. “Me, too… but you know what?”

“What?” she sniffed.

“They’re watching us right now, wherever they are, and they probably aren’t happy. Especially Dad.”

She pulled away. “Why?”

“Because our whole lives he taught us to be fighters. They both did. I guarantee that if they were here, they’d be pretty ticked off.”

She wiped her cheeks. “Dad would be for sure. Mom wouldn’t.”

“No, both of them would be pissed for sure. They risked everything for us. They went through hell and back to find us and never gave up. And guess what – it paid off. They brought us both to safety and it ended up costing them their lives, which is horrible, but we can’t let their deaths be in vain. So, come on, Allie, we have to make them proud. It’s just the two of us now, and we have to pull through this. Do it for them, okay?”

She cleared her throat. “Okay.”

“Now, go take a shower and put on one of those pink outfits Kylie found for you. You kind of stink like one of those dead zombies.”

She giggled.

“I’m glad you think that’s funny. Now, seriously.” I said, plugging my nose. “Go take a shower.”

33

Less than an hour later, we were both in the workout room dressed in sweats, me in gray and Allie in hot pink. Of course everyone was excited to see my little sister.

“Oh, thank God,” said Kylie, hugging her friend. “I was getting really worried about you.”

Allie smiled shyly as everyone approached her and introduced themselves. When I saw her eyes light up after Luke shook her hand, I knew she was on the road to recovery.

“Hey there, Wild,” said Henry. “How’s it hanging?”

I laughed. “A little to the left, Henry.”

“You do have more balls than most men I’ve met,” he replied. “Of course you still drive like a woman.”

I shook my head. “You’d better watch yourself in here, Henry. Some of these women drivers also know martial arts.”

He chuckled. “I’m only messing with you, by golly. But, seriously you should really stay off the roads until you’ve had more practice. See if that Bryce character can give you some pointers.”

“I’m sure he’d love that.”

“Hey, hon,” said Belinda. She was chewing gum and dressed in short-shorts and a sports bra. Even I had to admit that for an older lady, she had a kickin’ body.

“Hi,” I said. “How’s it going?”

“Oh, just great. Everyone’s been so wonderful,” she said. “Especially Henry. He’s even agreed to stay with me in the penthouse, to help keep an eye on Luke. You know teenaged boys, they’re a handful.”

“Oh, to keep an eye on Luke?” I said. “Well, that’s our Henry,” I said. “He just loves helping out women.”

“Yes, and he promised to take me horseback riding when all this zombie crap gets cleared up.”

Henry gave me a big shit-eating grin. “She needs to learn from the best.”

“Yeah, Belinda,” I said. “Henry used to work in the rodeo, and from what I hear, knows his way around the saddle pretty good.”

She gave me a throaty laugh. “He keeps telling me that, but sometimes I wonder if we’re talking about the same thing.”

Just then, Nora and Billie showed up, both dressed in shorts and matching Pink Floyd T-shirts. Where they got those, I have no idea. I watched in awe as Billie flirted with her and her face turned beet-red. He then began tickling her, and before long, they were wrestling on the floor. I knew right away that she was letting him pin her. As strong as he probably was, she wasn’t that easy to take down.

“Hey, guys,” I said, smiling down at them as they rolled around on the floor.

“Hi, Cassie,” said Billie with a sheepish grin. “Don’t mind us.”

“Looks like you two are having fun,” I chuckled.

Nora stood up, her expression serious. “Hey, Wild. I um… need to talk to you later.”

“Okay,” I said. “After class?”

She nodded. “Yeah.”

The workout room couldn’t hold everyone who showed up for the class, so we ended up moving to the restaurant in the hotel. After clearing away some of the tables, Bryce had us separate into smaller groups.

“Cassie,” he said, “I’d like you to help me demonstrate some basic defense moves, and then if you could help the others practice them, that would be awesome.”

“Sure,” I said.

“Nora? Would you be willing to help, too?” he asked.

“No problem, Bryce,” she said.

“Great. Now let’s begin by learning some basic karate moves which might actually help to save your lives.”

For the next hour we went over different kicks, blocks, and strikes, which would add some protection against the zombies. It wouldn’t kill them, but could certainly add some type of defense.

“I also advise all of you to keep an ax or other kind of bludgeoning weapon with you at all times. These martial arts defense moves won’t kill a zombie, but they can give you some extra time before you actually strike their head or neck. It will also help to protect you against other living attackers. Keep practicing these moves and don’t ever let your guard down,” said Bryce when we were finished with the demonstration.

By the end of class, Allie and Kylie were laughing and teasing each other. I was so relieved to hear the sound of her voice, I actually hugged her at the end of class.

“What’s that for?” Allie asked.

“I’m just happy you’re here,” I answered.

“Well, me, too.” she replied.

After we were finished with class, Allie took Kylie up to our room to play with Goldie and Paige pulled me aside.

“What’s up?” I asked.

“Okay, this thing with my mom and Tiny is really driving me bonkers. She’s falling for him hard.”

I smiled. “Well, that’s great though. Isn’t it?”

She sighed. “It’s not that I don’t like him, but my mom is on the rebound, you know? I’m just worried about her getting hurt.”

“Paige, you know they’ve already been through more than most couples go through in a lifetime.”

“It’s just…”

“I think you should give her a break and let her have some fun with Tiny. He seems to really dig her and she feels safe with him.”

“Fun, she’s having a little too much fun.”

“What do you mean?”

Paige snorted. “She got pretty damn tipsy last night.”

Neither one of us had noticed Kristie, who was now standing directly behind us. She tapped Paige on the shoulder. “What’s that you’re talking about?”

Paige scowled at her. “Mom! Quit sneaking up on us!”

Kristie crossed her arms. “So, what is this about me getting tipsy?”

“Oh, for the love of God,” snapped Paige. “Last night? The hot tub episode?”

Kristie’s face fell. “Oh. Did you have to bring that up?”

I smiled. “Okay, girls, now you have to tell me what happened.”

“My mom got trashed and fell face-first into the hot tub.”

Kristie’s jaw dropped. “I was not trashed. I’d only had a glass of wine or two and got a little dizzy.”

“Well, it was really disturbing to catch you in the hot tub with Tiny. God, Cassie, you should have seen it. My mom was trying to be all seductive-like. She had on this sexy bathing suit and her hair was teased perfectly into place, makeup carefully applied, and…” Paige started laughing.

“It wasn’t that funny, Paige,” said Kristie with a stern expression.

This only made her laugh harder. Paige bent over, trying to control her laughter, and pointed at her mom as the tears rolled down her face. “And… she was taking a step down into the hot tub and she slipped, falling face forward into the water!”

Kristie was also trying to hold back a smile. “Yeah, but I could have drowned. Seriously, it wasn’t that funny.”

“Then, when she came back up, her mascara was all over her face, her hair was drenched, and things were sticking out that should have never seen the light of day, you know what I’m saying?” she laughed. “But no, that didn’t stop my mom’s big seduction. She stood there, with one boob sticking out of her bathing suit, looking like a drowned rat, and said,” Paige raised her voice. “‘Hey, stud, I’m looking for a horse. Let’s say we go for a ride?’”

I burst out laughing and so did Kristie, who couldn’t hold it back any longer either.

“Well, it sounded good at the time!” chuckled Kristie. “How was I to know you were there, Paige?”

“It was such a crime scene, I couldn’t take my eyes off it!” laughed Paige.

“So, what did Tiny do?” I asked.

Paige quit laughing. “I don’t know. I got the hell out of there.”

We both turned to Kristie, who smiled. “Let’s just say I’m a little saddle sore today.”

Paige’s mouth dropped. “Oh, my God, mom! T.M.I.!”

***

I followed Nora into the kitchen after she was done stretching out.

“I’m starving,” she said, searching in the pantry. We’d distributed most of the food to the survivors already, so there wasn’t much left in the kitchen. It was just fortunate that the hotel had been stocked with food when we’d arrived, and that Tony’s men had guarded everything against other possible thieves.

“So,” I said. “What did you want to talk to me about?”

She sat on one of the counters and opened up the box of crackers she’d lucked out finding. “My dad.”

I’d forgotten all about her dad, who’d supposedly been transferred to the CDC.

“I’m sorry, Nora,” I said. “I’d forgotten all about that. We’ll have to help you find him.”

“Actually, I’ve spoken to one of the other survivors who’d seen my dad. I guess he took off after coming out of his coma.”

“So he recovered from the virus, too?”

“I guess so. But, fact is, he never waited for me, so I don’t know for sure.” She looked away for a second. I think it was to hide her tears. “Asshole knew I was coming, but left anyway. Same old song and dance.”

“Maybe he didn’t know you’d made it to Atlanta.”

She shrugged. “But he didn’t even stick around to find out. Nice father, huh?”

I knew how Nora felt about her dad. She loved him dearly but was also furious at the way he’d abandoned her throughout her childhood. If it hadn’t been for her grandmother, Nora would have been even more bitter and angry than she already was. But now that her grandmother was gone, her only reason for being in Atlanta was to find her dad. Unfortunately, the only thing she’d found were more dead ends.

“Well, what do you want to do?” I asked.

“I’m going back to Minnesota,” she replied. “In case he’s looking for me.”

“You’re really going back there?”

She nodded. “Yeah. I was wondering if you’d like to tag along. Check back there, in case any more of your family members have survived.”

I hadn’t even thought about going back to Minnesota, I’d been too busy mourning my parents. “I don’t think it’s a good idea. It’s too dangerous.”

“Don’t you wonder if any of your other relatives are alive? Your grandparents, uncles, or aunts? Cousins?”

I’d tried not to think about losing other members of my family and now that she’d brought it up, I felt the all-too familiar gnawing ache of loss. I nodded. “Yeah, of course I wonder.”

“Then come back to Minnesota with me. We’ll see if my dad made it, and look for the rest of your family.”

I let out a ragged breath. “It’s just so dangerous. I can’t put Allie through a trip like that.”

“Leave her here.”

I snorted. “She’d never agree to that.”

“Don’t tell her about it. You can always leave her a note or something.”

I was so torn. I loved my grandparents dearly and if they were alive, they probably needed us as much as we needed them. I was just afraid of leaving Allie now, especially in her fragile state of mind.

I sighed. “Let me think about it.”

“I’m leaving, early tomorrow morning. Whether you’re coming or not.”

“What about Billie?”

Her eyes narrowed. “What about Billie?”

“I know you guys are getting to be really good friends.”

“Well, actually, I mentioned that I might be going back to Minnesota, and he totally flipped out.”

“I can’t imagine why…” I answered with a wry smile.

She rubbed her forehead. “He also thinks it’s too dangerous. Billie said the odds of me finding my dad would be pretty astronomical.”

I tended to agree. Once her dad found his mother’s house empty, if he made it, he’d probably move on. Even if he was in Minnesota, the chance of them meeting up was astronomical.

“I still have to think about it,” I said.

“Tell you what,” she said, heading toward the door. “Meet me right here at seven o’clock tomorrow morning if you’re coming. If you’re not here, then I’ll take off by myself.”

34

I went upstairs to our suite, my head swimming with horrifying images of my grandparents fending off zombies. The thought of them being mauled by the undead or dealing with thieves was terrifying.

Don’t think about it, don’t think about it, don’t think about it….

I groaned; now I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Were any of them alive? Were they struggling to survive while I was currently living in a swanky hotel, sleeping on a luxury mattress, and enjoying a working generator? We had food, water, and weapons. Did they even have a safe place to sleep anymore?

“Hey, pup.” I smiled when Goldie jumped up to my knees as I entered the room. I bent down and stroked behind her ears while she seemed to smile back at me.

“Cassie!” shrieked Allie, coming out of her bedroom followed by Kylie and Luke.

Luke?!

A teenaged boy in her room! We definitely needed to talk…

“Guess what? You have a package!” said Allie.

Good grief, I hadn’t seen this much emotion in her face in like, forever. “A package?”

“It’s from Bryce,” said Kylie.

There was a large white box labeled “Macy’s” with a purple bow sitting on my mattress when I entered my bedroom. I pulled off the top of the box and smiled; a short black and silver cocktail dress with a pair of high heels. When I saw the designer names and the correct sizes, I smiled. Paige must have had a hand in that.

“Oh, my God!” gushed my sister, who’d followed me. “It’s gorgeous! He must really have the hots for you!”

I chuckled. “It’s my birthday and we’re having dinner tonight.”

Allie’s face fell. “Oh, God, I totally didn’t even realize it was your birthday. I don’t have anything to give you.”

I put my arm around her and looked into her blue eyes. “You’ve already given me my present,” I said. “The fact that you’re beginning to deal with mom and dad’s death is the best gift ever.”

Her eyes filled with tears. “But I’m not really dealing with it,” she said. “I’m just trying to not think about it.”

“That’s okay for now,” I said. “Just don’t block it out completely.”

She nodded.

“I wonder how Bryce knew it was my birthday,” I said, holding the dress up.

“Paige, probably,” said Allie. Paige’s birthday and mine were only four days apart. She’d just had hers a couple days before and we’d shared a bottle of champagne alone in her room. We’d snuck it, only because we didn’t know how Kristie would have reacted. Neither of us had anticipated the wicked headaches afterward.

“That would explain the clothes, too,” I said.

“Um, is it okay if Kylie stays overnight in our suite?” asked Allie.

“As long as it’s just Kylie.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Who else would it be?”

“Listen,” I said, “I know things are crazy right now, but it’s not cool having any boys in your bedroom.”

“Oh, you mean Luke?” she said.

“Yeah, that would be the one I’m referring to,” I replied.

Allie’s eyes narrowed. “He’s just a friend.”

“He’s also going on fifteen, and unfortunately, you look like you’re the same age,” I said. “I don’t want him getting any ideas.”

It was true; Allie had developed early and she’d earned many interested looks from boys much older than her. It used to drive our dad crazy.

“Whatever,” she replied. “You don’t have to worry about me.”

“I certainly hope not,” I muttered.

The truth of the matter was, I didn’t know if I could handle being her guardian. She was a handful, even for my parents. Headstrong and very independent for someone so young. Another reason to have my grandparents around. She always listened to them.

“Sit down,” I said, patting my comforter. “I want to talk to you about something.”

She rolled her eyes. “I already know about the birds and the bees. Don’t even go there.”

I smiled. “No. Listen, Nora is going back to Minnesota to find her dad and I was thinking about trying to find our grandparents.”

Her eyes opened wide. “Do you think they’re alive?”

“Truthfully, I have no idea. But I think it might be worth a shot to find out.”

“I’m going, too,” she said.

I shook my head. “No, way! It’s too dangerous. I’m even having a hard time talking myself into taking this trip.”

“But you can’t leave me behind!” she shrieked.

“Shush,” I whispered. “It’s a secret. If anyone finds out, they won’t let me go.”

“You’re eighteen, now.”

“Like that would matter, especially with Bryce. He’d never let me go.”

“Maybe he’d go with?”

“Maybe, if he didn’t have Bobby. But Bobby really needs him, and if anything ever happened to Bryce, I’d never forgive myself. Bobby doesn’t have anyone else.”

“What if something happens to you?” she pouted. “You expect me to let you go alone? Well, I have nobody else now either, do I? You can’t leave me, Cassie.”

I was afraid of that. She’d feel abandoned and I didn’t want to just disappear without talking to her first.

“Well, we wouldn’t leave for a few days, anyway,” I lied.

She grabbed my arm. “You are not going to leave me behind,” she said. “Promise me.”

“I’m not promising anything,” I said. “There’s no way you’re going to take that trip. It’s much too dangerous. I mean, come on, Allie! I’ve been trained in marital arts and can fire a gun. You’d just be someone I’d have to keep worrying about. You’re better off waiting here, with Kylie and her family. They’d take great care of you and you’d be safe.”

“Don’t you dare go without me,” she snapped, ignoring everything I’d just said. “I mean it.”

“Let’s just talk about this another time. Bryce is going to be coming by in less than an hour, and I have to get ready.”

Allie stared at me for a minute and then stormed out of my room. There was no way she was going to allow me to leave without her. That’s why she could never know about tomorrow morning and the fact that I’d already made up my mind.

35

I went downstairs to a little store in the hotel and located a new razor, vanilla scented shower gel, and makeup. Since it was my birthday and the last time I’d be seeing Bryce for a while, I wanted to look extra special.

“Fancy meeting you here,” said Billie, entering the store.

“Oh, I’m just picking up some things.”

He looked at my pile of beauty supplies in the basket and raised his eyebrows. “Big night?”

I laughed. “Well, it’s my birthday.”

His jaw dropped. “It’s your birthday? Seriously?”

I nodded. “Yeah.”

He smiled. “What are you twenty-one, now?”

Billie knew how old I was. We’d discussed it on our road trip awhile back. “I feel seventy-one.”

He lowered his voice. “Watch how loud you say that. Old Henry might hear and ask you for a date.”

“Henry doesn’t date anyone over sixty,” I laughed.

He chuckled. “True.”

“What are you doing here?”

He smiled. “Well, you had your chance with me, Wild, but you lost out. I hate to break this to you, but I’m totally digging someone else now. And you know what? I can honestly say that I haven’t felt like this in a long time.”

“Oh, I already know all about it,” I said.

He raised his eyebrows. “How? I just figured it out myself.”

“Come on, I saw the way you and Nora have been flirting with each other. Or rather how you’ve been flirting and she’s been kicking your ass.”

He burst out laughing. “Kicking my ass? Hell, that’s only because I let her!”

“Yeah, right.”

“Seriously though, I am totally into her, although I have to admit, sometimes she scares the hell out of me.”

“Well, she scares a lot of people.”

He nodded. “She’s pretty intense. I just don’t know how she feels about me.”

“Personally, I think she likes you. If I were you, though, I’d admit your feelings.”

He scratched his head. “That might be dangerous.”

“Oh, I think you can handle it. By the way, I’m seriously happy for you.”

“Thanks. Well, I’d better get what I came for. How about a happy birthday hug?”

I nodded and he pulled me into his arms. “Thanks again for coming to our rescue,” I murmured.

He pulled back slightly and smiled. “You’re welcome. I’m glad we made it in time.”

“Oh, sorry,” muttered Nora from the entrance of the store. “I had no idea you were having a private moment in here.”

I groaned inside. Billie still had his arms around me and it must have looked a little intimate. We separated.

“Billie was just giving me a birthday hug.”

She snorted. “Hey, don’t get all weirded out because of me. It’s none of my business if you guys have something going.”

My jaw dropped. “Are you kidding?’

Billie walked over to Nora, whose eyes blazed with betrayal. “Nora, nothing else was going on in here.”

“Seriously,” I said.

She shrugged. “You know what? It’s none of my business, anyway. Listen, I have to fly,” she said backing away. She then turned and stormed off.

“You’d better go and talk to her,” I said.

He released a heavy sigh. “Yeah, looks that way. Catch you later.”

When I got back to the suite, Allie, Kylie, Paige, and Kristie were all waiting for me with different expressions.

“What’s going on here?” I asked.

“Well I heard a rumor that you’re thinking about taking a little trip,” said Kristie with a stern look.

My jaw dropped. “Allie! What? Did you go and blab it to everyone?”

“No, just these guys,” she said, looking a little hurt.

“You can’t be serious about going back to Minnesota?” asked Kristie. “That’s crazy.”

“Nora’s going to look for her father and wanted to know If I’d come with. I mean, our grandparents might be alive and suffering horribly. They might need my help,” I said.

“It’s suicide to go back there,” said Kristie. “Especially a couple of young girls.”

“We can take care of ourselves.”

Kristie leaned forward. “Normally, yeah. But not when there are zombies and thieves lurking in the streets. You can’t possibly do this.”

“Well, I haven’t made up my mind,” I said.

“If you’re going,” said Paige with a triumphant smile, “I’m coming with.”

“The hell you are!” hollered Kristie. “Jesus, what’s gotten into everyone?”

“Cassie’s my best friend and she saved my ass from Marcus and those other fools. I’m not letting her do this alone. Besides, I’m eighteen now. I can do what I want.”

Kristie sighed and ran her hands over her face. “This is ridiculous.”

“Listen,” I said, looking at the clock. “I have a date in less than forty minutes. I need to take a shower and get ready. Can we just talk about this tomorrow?”

Plus I’d be long gone. I wasn’t about to risk Paige’s life either.

“Oh, we will,” said Kristie. “You can count on it.”

“Don’t worry, Cassie,” said Paige, squeezing my shoulder. “I’ve been practicing my karate kicks and strikes. I also found myself a new bat. We’ll kick some zombie ass all the way back to the Midwest! It’ll be so much… fun!” she giggled. “Road trip!!!”

“Lord, help me,” mumbled Kristie. “I’m going to have a real nervous breakdown this time.”

“Let’s talk about it tomorrow,” I repeated.

Or they could discuss it when I was long gone.

“Just don’t make any foolish decisions until we talk about it,” said Kristie.

“I hear you,” I said.

“And don’t do anything I wouldn’t do on that date of yours,” said Kristie with a little grin.

“That’s opening up a world of possibilities, mom,” said Paige, dryly.

36

I studied myself in the mirror and smiled. I didn’t look half bad, especially with Allie’s help. She’d applied most of my makeup and teased my hair into a wavy loose up-do. I actually felt like I was going to the prom.

“You look so pretty,” gushed my sister. “And I love that dress on you. You have to let me borrow it someday.”

“When you’re eighteen,” I said. “It’s a little over the top for a twelve-year-old.”

“I’m almost thirteen,” she reminded me for the umpteenth time.

“Oh, pardon me.”

It was a sexy dress. It fit me like a glove and shimmered when I walked. Allie had actually made me twirl for her a half dozen times. When I almost fell over wearing the heels, both of us had burst out laughing.

A loud knock on the door marked my date’s arrival.

I looked at myself again and sighed. “Why am I nervous?”

“Don’t worry, you look gorgeous. I’ll get the door,” said Allie.

I followed her, and when she opened it, my jaw dropped. I may have looked good, but he looked amazing in his black double-breasted tuxedo. He’d also shaved, although his typical five o’clock shadow was certainly sexy enough.  Tonight, he looked like a totally hot movie star going to the Oscar’s.

“Let me guess,” said my sister, lowering her voice, “you’re Bond, James Bond?”

“No,” he replied with a cocky grin. “I’m Lee, Bryce Lee.”

My sister and I burst out laughing.

“You look absolutely stunning,” he said as I walked toward him. “I am – speechless.”

“That’s a first,” I answered with a smile. His flattery was bringing out my sarcasm; I guess it made me slightly uncomfortable. “You look pretty handsome yourself.”

“Do me a favor,” he said, waving his finger around. “Could you please walk back and forth a couple of times around the suite? You look amazingly sexy in those heels.”

My sister cleared her throat.

“Oh, sorry, Allie,” he smiled. “You’re still here? It’s Wild’s fault. She’s put some kind of spell on me, and all I see is her long legs.”

Allie laughed. “I’m going to get Kylie. You two have fun now.”

“Thanks, Allie,” I said, giving her a hug.

After she left, he offered me his arm. “So, beautiful, are you ready?”

I blushed again. “I think so,” I said. “I’m a little intrigued about this date.”

“Good. I want it to be a surprise.”

“You’ve already surprised me with this outfit. I love it, by the way.”

He grabbed both my hands and stared into his eyes. “And I love you,” he murmured.

I smiled. “I love you, too.”

“We’d better leave before I forget what it means to be a gentleman.”

I laughed as he pulled me toward the door. “So, where are you taking me?”

“Patience,” he replied.

We took the stairs (because elevators still freaked me out) down to the restaurant. I laughed out loud when I noticed the handmade sign covering the old one.

“Henry’s Bistro and Five Star Restaurant?” I read.

Bryce wiggled his eyebrows as he opened the door.

“Good evening, welcome to Henry’s Bistro and Five Star Restaurant,” said Belinda from the hostess stand inside. “How many this evening?”

Belinda was dressed prim and proper in a black skirt and white button-down blouse. Her blond hair was pulled into a tight bun and her makeup was subtle. It was so different than what I was used to, I would have never recognized her in a crowded room.

“Two, please,” replied Bryce in a deep voice.

She led us to an elegantly set up table in the corner of the candle-lit restaurant. A vase of red roses sat on top of the white tablecloth. Bryce noticed me staring at them.

“They’re obviously not real,” he said. “But I wanted you to have some kind of flowers for your birthday.”

I smiled. “Well, thank you.”

After we were settled in, our waitress brought us water and menus.

“How are you two doing this evening?” asked Paige, who was also dressed in a black skirt and white blouse.

“Wonderful,” replied Bryce. “And you?”

“Oh, I can’t complain,” she said. “Well, I could but I won’t. So, would you like to start out with an appetizer?”

I looked at the handwritten menu and smiled. There was only one appetizer available.

“We’ll have the pickles, please,” said Bryce. “Is that okay, Wild?”

“Sounds great.”

“I’ll be back with your pickles in a minute,” she said. “Anything else?”

“Paige, that’s the only thing written on the appetizer menu.”

She laughed. “Oh yeah.”

“I hear the pickles are imported,” said Bryce after Paige left us.

“They sound delicious.”

From somewhere in the darkness, a piano began playing. I stared at Bryce in surprise.

“Just wait,” he said softly.

Someone in the back of the room began to sing, “You Are So Beautiful,” and when I recognized the voice, my jaw dropped.

“Tiny?” I whispered, totally shocked.

“Yeah,” he chuckled. “Who knew?”

Tiny’s voice was amazing. It was smooth, beautiful, and it took my breath away. I couldn’t get over it.

“Would you care to dance?” asked Bryce standing up.

I nodded.

He took my hand and led me to the dance floor.

“You are beautiful, but not just tonight,” whispered Bryce next to my ear, as he held me close.

I shivered as he brushed my neck with light kisses.

“Cold?” he murmured.

“No.”

He chuckled and held me closer.

When the song was finished, we both applauded Tiny, and soon he began singing another ballad. Who knew the giant wrestler could sing and play the piano when he wasn’t pile-driving zombies?

Paige returned to our table and set down a bottle of wine and the pickles.

“Looks like our appetizer has arrived,” he said, releasing me.

Bryce guided me back to the table where he then pulled out my chair.

“What a gentleman,” I said.

He cocked an eyebrow. “Surprised?”

“No, not at all.”

Belinda walked over and helped Paige open the bottle of wine and then poured each of us a glass. “I’m supposed to tell you, just one glass,” Belinda whispered before she left. “Kristie’s orders.”

I laughed. “Oh, okay.”

“So, waitress, could you tell us what your special is this evening?” asked Bryce.

Paige cracked her gum and said, “Um… Maine lobster, garlic mashed potatoes, and baked beans.”

He grinned. “Wow, how in the world did he accomplish that?”

“Fortunately, the hotel still had a few live lobsters. As far as the garlic mashed, well they’re instant potatoes, but just forget I mentioned that.”

“Forgotten,” I said.

“The baked beans are Henry’s idea,” she went on. “It’s a little eclectic, but Henry’s the chef, and these are all his favorites.”

“It sounds awesome,” I said.

“Enjoy,” she said, and then left us alone.

“This is remarkable,” I told him. “You put all of this together?”

He nodded. “Yeah, with the help of our friends, of course.”

“Thank you.”

He grabbed my hand. “You’re very welcome. I wish I could do more.”

My eyes widened. “This is more than enough. It’s… awesome. I just wish my parents could have seen this.”

He caressed my hand with his thumb. “They probably can, from wherever they are.”

I stared at the wine. “I’m sure if they are, my dad’s probably frowning at the wine.”

“Or maybe he thinks you deserve a glass after everything you’ve been through.”

I smiled. “Maybe.”

“A toast, to us,” he said, lifting his glass.

“To us,” I answered.

I took a sip and it was warm going all the way down.

“You like it?”

I shrugged. “Wine is kind of bitter.”

“Coming from someone who adores pickles,” he said.

“They aren’t bitter,” I said as I grabbed one and started eating. “So, who told you about my pickle fetish?” I asked when I was done.

“Paige.”

“Of course.”

“Hey, nothing wrong with a girl who loves pickles,” he said. “It’s kind of enjoyable watching you indulge in one.”

The look on his face was far from innocent and I had an urge to kick him in his pickle. Instead I changed the subject. “How’s Bobby doing?”

He smiled. “Very good. I mean he’s asked about your dad a few times and I’ve skidded around the truth, but I think he understands somehow. He’s amazingly bright.”

“He’s also very artistic,” I said. “I found him some paint and brushes yesterday, and the pictures he made were amazing.”

Bryce nodded. “Yeah, but did you see any of his zombie pictures? Kind of dark.”

I saw one of his zombie pictures and it was a little disturbing, but it was also a new reality for the six-year-old. The picture was of a zombie getting crushed under the tires of a big truck. He’d told me it was he and Dave destroying zombies, just like in their zombie game.

“I just hope the zombies are destroyed soon so they don’t inspire those types of paintings anymore,” I said.

Bryce laughed.

“So, otherwise he’s doing okay?”

“Yeah. He’s always had such an innocent outlook on life, even when our mom was alive. You’d think living with an alcoholic and now flesh-eating zombies would have really messed him up. But he’s doing well.”

“Having the love of a big brother makes a hell of a difference,” I said. “You’re his rock.”

He nodded. “I’m just relieved to have regained most of my memory back. I still don’t know how I ended up with amnesia.”

“It might be better to not know. The horror we’re dealing with is bad enough. You don’t need to add any more memories.”

Just then, we heard a loud crash in the kitchen and then Henry was cursing the lobsters. Seconds later, Belinda hurried out of the kitchen, looking horrified.

“Um, so sorry folks but we’ve had a little glitch in tonight’s dinner menu. Is it okay if you split one of the lobsters?”

“Of course,” I said quickly. “Don’t worry about it.”

“Let me guess,” said Bryce. “Henry couldn’t lasso up one of the lobsters.”

She nodded. “It gave him a hard time and that’s all I’m going to say. He feels awful though, by the way.”

“Tell him not to worry about it,” I said. “I’m sure the dinner will be wonderful and I don’t eat much anyway.”

She nodded and then headed back into the kitchen.

“I’m sorry,” said Bryce.

“Are you kidding me? This has been wonderful so far. The best eighteenth birthday a girl could have in a zombie apocalypse. I mean seriously, you’ve all done very well.”

He sighed. “That’s what I love about you; you are totally selfless. You’re more concerned about the people around you much more than yourself. These last few weeks, you’ve risked your life for your sister, your friends, heck, even a psycho cowboy whose intentions weren’t even good. I feel overwhelmingly lucky that I met you. You are one amazing girl.”

Tears threatened my eyes and I struggled to keep them from slipping out. “Thanks, Bryce,” I said.

“That’s why I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Wild. I know we’re both young and we’re living in a crazy world, but there’s nobody else who makes me feel the way you do. I love you so much, and….”

When he got down on his knees, my chest tightened up and I couldn’t breathe.

“Wild, I mean, Cassie,” he said, reaching into his pocket. “Would you do me the honor of…” he pulled out a small black box, “of being my life partner?”

I stared at him in confusion.

Life partner?

What the hell did that mean? Was he asking me to marry him? I thought Billie had told me Dane and Shane were life partners. Would that make me a lesbian?

Oh, I was so confused.

I licked my lips. “Um…”

“Please say yes,” he said, his blue eyes twinkling.

The diamond ring was dazzling and as he pushed it onto my finger, I stared at it in awe. “It is beautiful,” I said.

“I was lucky to find it. Tiny and I had quite the adventure getting out of the jewelry shop alive.”

I looked into his eyes. “So, life partner, huh?”

He then burst out laughing and I was totally lost.

“Bryce, I don’t understand. What’s so funny?” I asked.

He kept laughing, wiping away real tears. Every time he’d slow down he’d look at my confused face and start all over. It was after seeing my frowning face that he finally stopped, grabbed me by the waist, and lifted me off of the ground.

“Cassie, will you marry me?” he asked in a husky voice. “I love you more than anything, and I definitely want to marry you.”

“So, you were kidding before? About being a life partner?”

He smiled sheepishly. “I’m sorry. I just wanted to see your reaction. Obviously we’ll be partners for life, but I definitely want to marry you someday. I just couldn’t help teasing you.”

“Thanks,” I replied dryly.”

“So, seriously, Cassandra Wild, will you marry me?”

I smiled. “Yes, Bryce De Luca, I will marry you.”

37

After hearing of our engagement, Paige and Belinda gushed over my ring and gave us both a hug. Henry, hearing all the excitement, stepped out of the kitchen.

“What in tarnation is going on out here? You’re going to wake the dead all over again.”

I stuck out my left hand. “Bryce and I are going to get married.”

The look on Henry’s face wasn’t exactly what I’d expected.

“How in the hell are you two going to get married in a zombie apocalypse? And, no offense to you, Wild, but son, you do know that limits you to only her, young man? You can’t go puttin’ your bobber into any other streams after getting hitched. You know what I’m saying?”

My jaw dropped. “Henry!”

“For the love of God...” groaned Paige.

“She’s all I need,” smiled Bryce. “She makes my bobber quite happy.”

Paige burst out laughing.

Henry reached into his pocket and pulled out a fresh tin of chew. “Well, your pole is kind of young to retire, don’t you think, Bryce? What are you, in your twenties?”

“Henry!” sputtered Belinda. “You’d better congratulate this young couple and quit while you’re ahead.”

Henry looked at me and his eyes twinkled. He squeezed my shoulder. “I’m just bullshitting. I was just testing Bryce to make sure he’s good enough for our little Wild.”

“Thanks, Henry,” I said. “I guess.”

“I was married a long time ago,” said Henry, his eyes taking on a faraway look. “Barbara, Tonia, Camille, and Beverly. Sounds like a lot of wives, but I’m an old man and they were all at different times, of course. Anyway, if there’s one thing I learned about marriage, it’s that…”

“What, Henry?” I asked.

He scratched his cheek. “The woman is always right, and never go to sleep when she’s mad at you. You might not make it through the night.”

“Those are very wise words,” said Belinda.

“Especially being married to Ms. Wild here. I saw what she did to those zombies, and I guarantee she can kick your ass from here to Kingdom Come. Do yourself a favor and don’t ever do her wrong, Bryce,” he said.

“I wouldn’t,” he answered with a very solemn look.

Just then, Kristie stepped into the restaurant followed by Tiny, who must have let her in on the news.

“I heard about your engagement,” said Kristie, admiring the ring. “I am very happy for the both of you.”

“Thanks,” I said.

“Now you have another reason to stay put. You can’t leave your fiancé to go racing back to Minnesota,” she said.

Bryce looked at me. “What’s she talking about?”

“I’ll tell you later,” I said.

But Kristie wasn’t finished. “She wants to go back to Minnesota with Nora, so they can look for more living relatives.”

“That’s insane,” said Bryce. “You can’t go back there. It’s too dangerous.”

“Exactly what I said,” said Kristie.

I took another sip of wine. “Please, I don’t want to talk about this right now,” I said. “It’s my birthday and I just want to enjoy it.”

“Promise me you’ll forget about going back there,” said Bryce. “Please?”

“We’ll talk about it, later,” I said. “Okay?”

He stared at me for a few seconds and then sighed, “Fine.”

“You keep at her, Bryce. Let her know how crazy it is to even consider going back there,” said Kristie.

“Well, you two enjoy the rest of your evening,” said Tiny, pulling Kristie away from the table.

“Wonderful voice, Tiny!” I hollered as they walked away. I lifted my wine glass. “I toast you… you are truly talented!”

Bryce smiled. “Enjoying the wine?”

I looked at the glass, it was almost empty. “It is rather tasty, maybe I should have a little bit more.” I drank the rest down and then lifted my glass. “Excuse me, waitress?”

He grabbed the glass. “Sorry, Wild. I want your head to be completely clear for the rest of this night. We’re switching to water.”

I stuck out my tongue. “Party pooper.”

“I’m going to take care of you now, Wild. Like it or not.”

I smiled. It sounded wonderful to me.

38

When we finished eating our meal, Bryce said that he had another surprise in store for me.

“Seriously?”

“Yeah. Come on.”

He then took my hand and led me to the elevator.

“The elevator? Can’t we just take the stairs?” I asked. “What if the generators suddenly give out?”

“It’s going to be fine. It’s far less dangerous than going back to Minnesota.”

I sighed. “Fine, okay. But if something happens, you’re climbing out of the elevator for help.”

“Of course.”

When it opened, he grabbed my hand and pulled me in.

“Okay?” he asked, squeezing my hand.

I nodded.

We went all the way up until we reached the penthouse.

“I thought Belinda and Luke were staying here?” I asked.

“Not tonight,” he said. “Close your eyes.”

“Um, okay.”

He grabbed my hand and led me out of the elevator into the hallway. Then I heard the click of the hotel key and we stepped onto the ultra-plush carpeting leading into the suite.

“Okay,” he said. “We’re almost there.”

After a few more steps, he opened up another door and a warm breeze brushed my skin.

“Okay,” he said after moving me forward again. “Open your eyes.”

“Wow,” I whispered, staring at the view outside. “It’s… beautiful.”

We were standing on the roof next to a large swimming pool that extended to the very edge of the building. There were lawn chairs and tables scattered around it, even a grill for entertaining. One of the picnic tables near the pool was decorated with confetti and birthday balloons. I stepped closer and noticed a birthday cake, champagne, a jar of pickles, and a couple of fluffy white hotel towels.

“Amazing,” I said, looking around. “This is amazing! I’ve never been on the roof of a hotel before, either.”

“It is pretty amazing.”

It was also very romantic. There were candles lit up all around the patio, the stars were out, and the pool looked so inviting, I wanted to strip out of my clothes and dive right in. But I was too modest to remove my clothing, especially in front of Bryce.

“I wish we were in a different world. Rid of zombies and violence,” he said, rubbing my back with the palms of his hands.

I walked to the edge of the roof and looked down at the darkness. No lights from the city, no traffic. It gave me the shivers, and I was just glad to be far away from the horrors lurking below us.

He came up behind me and put his arms around my waist. “I’m just so happy we can spend some time up here together. Forget about everything else taking place in the rest of the world for a while.”

“Thanks for setting all of this up, Bryce. I feel like we’re on a luxurious vacation somewhere.” I glanced over at the infinity swimming pool and marveled how it appeared to just go over the edge of the building. “That pool is so cool,” I said. “How’s the water?”

He released me. “Go ahead and check it out for yourself.”

I walked over, took off my shoes, and dipped one toe into the water. It felt only slightly cool against my skin.

“Can we swim?” I asked.

“Of course,” he replied.

I bit the side of my lip. “Well, I don’t have a swimsuit.”

“I won’t look,” he said with a devilish grin.

“Seriously, I don’t have one, and I’m…”

He laughed out loud. “Would you please stop being so shy around me? Just go in your underwear, Wild. That’s what I’m going to do.”

Then I watched as he began removing his clothing. First his jacket, his shirt, and finally his socks and pants. When he stood in just his boxers, I couldn’t stop staring at his lean, hard muscles.

“Do you need help getting out of that dress?” he asked, moving toward me.

“I…”

He stepped behind me and began kissing the back of my neck.

“I thought you were going to help me,” I whispered, closing my eyes. Shivers ran down my spine as his tongue did delicious things to my earlobe.

“Patience,” he whispered, nibbling on my skin.

I threw my head back and let out a soft moan.

He stopped. “We’ll never get into the pool at this rate,” he said, unzipping my dress. It slid to the ground and then he turned me around, staring down at my body.

“What?” I asked, feeling silly and a little self-conscious. “Why are you staring at me like that?”

His eyes met mine. “You’re just so beautiful. It’s hard not to stare.”

“Oh, thanks,” I answered, blushing. I looked toward the pool. “So, should we go in?”

Before I knew what was happening, he picked me up in his arms and started walking into the shallow end of the pool. The water was much cooler than I’d expected and I shivered as my feet and rear skimmed the top.

“Ready?”

“Bryce!” I hollered as he began swinging me back and forth in his arms.

“What?” he laughed and then tossed me high into the air.

I smiled as I went under and then around to retaliate. Soon we were both splashing and dunking each other.

“Hey, there’s a beach ball!” I yelled, getting out of the water. It was sitting on one of the patio chairs.

“Whoa, stay there, for a minute,” he said as I was getting ready to jump back in.

I tilted my head. “Why?”

He stared at my body and I looked down. My bra and panties were obviously wet, leaving little to the imagination. I quickly jumped back into the water.

“You wimp,” he laughed.

I threw the ball at his head and he grabbed it. Soon we were playing dodge ball, both of us laughing so hard, the zombies could probably hear us on the streets. After a while, he got out of the pool and I stared with lust at his hot body.

“And what are you looking at?” he asked with a silly grin.

“Just admiring the view,” I said, swimming backwards.

He chuckled and then took a running leap into the pool. “Cannonball!” hollered Bryce, as he hurled himself into the water right next to me.

“You’re such a boy,” I laughed when he came back up to the surface.

He swam over to me and pulled me into his arms. “That’s funny because I thought you brought out the man in me.”

We stared at each other in the darkness for a few seconds and then he began kissing me.

“Thank you,” he murmured, after a while.

“For what?”

“For saying yes tonight.”

I smiled. “There was no other answer for me.”

He pulled me over to the shallow end of the pool and began kissing me again. Soon, I had my legs wrapped around his waist and both of us were breathing heavy.

“Let’s get out of the pool,” he whispered.

“Okay.”

“Just one minute,” he said.

Before I knew it, he’d unclasped my bra,

“What are you doing?” I asked, holding it tightly against my breasts.

“Wild, we should remove our clothing,” he said. “They’re a little wet.”

I looked down. “Well…”

He tipped my chin back up and stared into my eyes. “Don’t be afraid. I would never hurt you.”

I let out a shaky sigh and removed my bra while he continued to stare into my eyes.

“See, that wasn’t so bad,” he said.

Our bodies were pressed together and I could feel his excitement poking me under the water. I smiled.

“What?” he asked.

I shook my head. “Nothing.”

He began kissing my lips again and his hands cupped my breasts. After a few minutes, one of his hands traveled down to my panties and I held my breath. “These are wet, too,” he murmured into my neck.

That was an understatement.

Soon, those were gone, too. As I tried to get over my shyness, he turned around and began walking out of the pool with my legs still wrapped around his torso.

“You doing okay?” he asked, grabbing a towel.

“Yes,” I replied as he wrapped it around my shoulders and took me into the suite.

“Don’t worry,” he whispered, entering one of the bedrooms. “This room is free. Nobody will disturb us.”

At that point I didn’t care; I was nervous, excited, and a little cold.

He dropped me onto the bed and I stared up at him. “Don’t you dare move, I’ll be right back,” he said.

He stepped out of the bedroom, and feeling self-conscious again, I pulled the covers over my damp body. When he returned, he was clutching what appeared to be a condom. His lips turned up as our eyes met.

“What?” I asked, pulling the blankets closer.

He shook his head and chuckled. “Nothing.”

“I’m just cold.”

“I’ll warm you up.”

I smiled. Just looking at his broad shoulders and narrow waist warmed me up. Then, when he pulled off his boxers, my eyes traveled much lower and my cheeks were on fire.

“My eyes are up here,” he teased, crawling onto the bed.

I guess it would always be our private joke now.

Bryce took my hair down, running his fingers through it. Then he began kissing me all over, making me so excited that I forgot to be nervous.

“I love you so much,” he whispered, staring at me with his crystal blue eyes.

“I love you, too,” I answered, trailing my finger along the white scar near his chin.

He licked his lips. “Is this okay? I don’t want to rush anything.”

“It’s more than okay,” I answered.

He made love to me so tenderly, that there wasn’t any pain, only intense pleasure. I was so shaken and overcome with emotions, that when it was all over, I was close to tears.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, staring into my eyes. “Was it that bad?”

I shook my head and laughed. “No, it was… amazing.”

“Well, why are you crying?” he asked, touching a single tear that trailed down my cheek.

“Because, I’m just so happy.”

He smiled. “Me too.”

He kissed me deeply one last time, before we both fell asleep in each other’s arms.

39

I woke up in the early hours of the morning and stared at Bryce, who was still sleeping alongside me. His eyelashes were so long and he looked like a little boy resting. He was the most amazing guy I’d ever met, and last night had been unbelievable.

I stared at the ring on my finger. I would someday become Mrs. Bryce De Luca.

I smiled.

Or, maybe he would be Mr. Cassandra Wild. I couldn’t wait to see his face when I teased him about that.

Then I remembered.

Nora.

We were going to Minnesota in a few hours. Bryce would be pissed, but it was something I had to do, and he’d get over it. I’d already lost my parents and I had to try and save my grandparents. I just had this feeling they were still alive and needed me. I’d rescue them and bring them here, where it was safe.

I moved slowly out of the bed, trying not to disturb Bryce. He reached over to where I’d been sleeping and then murmured something.

I froze.

After a few minutes his breathing became steadier and I found the courage to slip out of the bedroom.

I quickly went out to the pool and got dressed. I then wrote Bryce a note to let him know how much I loved him but how I had to go to Minnesota, to search for my relatives. I asked him to watch out for Allie and… to wait for me. I would be back.

After putting the note in his pants, I tiptoed back to the bedroom and stared at his still form, wishing I could slide back into bed with him. My love for him was so intense at that moment, that I almost changed my mind about the trip.

Almost.

I sighed and left him sleeping, praying that we’d be back together again, soon.

40

My sister and Kylie were both sleeping soundly when I got back to our suite. Goldie slept on the ground next to them and attacked me with puppy kisses when she noticed me peeking into the room.

“Shh…” I whispered to the happy pup. I was certainly going to miss Goldie as well, who seemed to be growing larger every day.

I gave her some food and water, and then took a quick shower. Luckily, my sister and Kylie both slept like the dead.

After packing some things for the trip, I wrote Allie a note, telling her how much I loved her and why she couldn’t come with. I also added a separate note for Paige and Kristie, to let them know how sorry I was about sneaking away.

“Bye, Goldie,” I whispered, hugging her tightly. “Take care of Allie, okay?”

She stared at me with her puppy grin and I kissed the top of her yellow head.

The hotel was quiet as I made my way down to the kitchen. I knew there’d be survivors guarding the doors against zombies, or other dangers, and had already started thinking of an excuse for leaving the building.

“You made it,” said Nora as I met her in the kitchen. “I have to admit, though, I thought you’d stay here.”

“It certainly wasn’t an easy decision.”

She sighed and grabbed her backpack. “I know what you mean.”

“Because of Billie?”

She shrugged.

“You can admit that you like him, Nora. He adores you.”

Her eyes lit up. “Did he tell you that?”

“Yes he did, as a matter of fact. Just before he gave me a birthday hug yesterday.”

She blushed. “Sorry about that. I walked in on you guys and thought you were making out or something.”

I lifted my left hand. “I’m engaged to the man I love. Billie is certainly nice, but we’re just friends.”

“Congratulations,” she said. “I’m truly happy for you guys.”

I smiled. “Thanks.”

“So, you still want to do this, even though your sister is here and you’re engaged to stud-muffin?”

“Not really. But it’s something I have to.”

“I hear you. Okay, let’s hit it. I found us a ride.”

I followed her to the basement of the hotel’s underground garage, which nobody ever guarded. We’d rigged all of the exit doors leading to the garage, so the only way to get through them was to unlock the doors from the inside. However, the chance of there being zombies on the other side of those doors was pretty high.

“Our driver has a ride and keys. He insisted on coming with us when he heard the rumor that we were going. Practically begged me.”

“Who is it?” I asked, intrigued.

“You’re just going to have to find out,” she said with a shit-eating grin. “He should be waiting for us.”

“Okay.”

Nora unlocked the door and then glanced into the garage. “Crap,” she said, slamming it shut.

“What?”

Her lips tightened. “A few zombies, what else? You ready?”

I pulled out the ax I’d confiscated. “Yeah.”

She nodded and then opened the door.

There were over twenty zombies wandering around our part of the garage.

“A few?!” I hollered at her.

“Okay, maybe a lot. Shit, I hope he made it to the truck.”

“Me too, Nora. It’s hard to believe that anyone got through this mess alone.”

The zombies noticed us in the doorway and two of them began staggering our way.

“I got it,” I mumbled, taking a step toward the nearest zombie. I raised the ax and swung it, hitting the zombie right in his neck. Its gaunt, rotted face stared at me for a minute and then fell backwards, the entire head rolling across the floor.

“Shit, I knew I should have grabbed an ax,” said Nora, rushing toward another zombie. She was wielding a baseball bat and caught a young male zombie right in the forehead.

“I don’t know,” I said, swinging the ax toward a female zombie with a floppy green Mohawk. One of her eyebrows appeared to be missing, torn away from her face. From the piercings on her other eyebrow, I figured someone ripped out the matching side. “Bats seemed to do the trick pretty well.”

“Dude,” laughed Nora when an old naked zombie shuffled toward her. His noodle was flopping around, and he had a big zombie grin on his face. “That is gnarly!”

I burst out laughing as he chased her around. It was so disturbing, it was comical. “Come on!” I yelled. “Quit playing with the zombie. Put us all out of our misery and get rid of at least one of his dead heads!”

She snorted and then cracked his noggin with the bat. He fell to the floor, and this time, everything on him was totally limp.

I heard a truck engine roar to life, and seconds later, a white pickup screeched to a halt next to us, as we were fighting off the remaining zombies.

“About time,” breathed Nora, who’d just swung and taken out two teenaged zombies at once.

I watched as the driver rolled down the window. He spit out a wad of chew and grinned. “You girls coming, or what?”

My eyes widened.  “Seriously? Henry, you’re coming with?”

“Damn tootin’,” he said. “Someone’s got to keep you two girls safe.”

“Get in, Wild,” hollered Nora as more zombies stumbled toward us.

We scrambled toward the truck, and once inside, Henry chuckled. “Say, I saw you with the old-timer back there, Nora. Looked like you were playing tag with that feller.”

Nora snorted. “Yeah, he kind of resembled you. I almost thought the zombies had gotten ahold of you, Henry.”

“Well, that’d be the way to go,” he said. “Naked with a big grin on my face.”

“Oh, Henry,” I groaned.

“So, everyone ready?” he asked.

“Let’s go before I change my mind,” I answered, thinking back to Bryce and his sexy body, probably still warming up the bed. I already missed him and we hadn’t even left the garage yet.

“Sure about this?” asked Henry.

“Yes, I am,” I said. “Let’s go, Henry.”

“Full speed ahead,” ordered Nora.

“Congratulations again on your engagement,” said Henry, zigzagging through zombies. “I trust you had a romantic dinner with Bryce?”

“It was awesome,” I said.

He nodded. “I like that boy. He’s going to do well by you. I can tell.”

As we barreled out of the hotel parking lot and past crowds of zombies loitering in the streets, I looked back at the building with longing. I was leaving Bryce, my sister, and all my friends. I could only hope that it wasn’t in vain.

41

“Dammit, Wild!” hollered Bryce as he crumpled up the note and threw it across the room. “What in the hell are you thinking!”

Bobby peeked out of his bedroom. “Bryce?”

“Hey, buddy, it’s okay. Come here.”

Bobby smiled and then ran into his big brother’s arms. “I love you, Bryce.”

“I love you, too,” answered Bryce, closing his eyes.

Besides Bobby, the only other person he’d risk his life for was Cassie. Now he had to decide whether or not to risk the chance of losing one or the other. No matter what he did, the risk would be great. Even if he left Bobby in the hotel with friends, there was no guarantee something horrible wouldn’t happen.

“Listen,” he said, staring into his brother’s eyes. “I have to go on a little trip again, Bud.”

Bobby, who didn’t understand the horror of the world around him, only smiled and nodded.

He hugged the boy tightly again. “I’ll be back, though, okay? And then we’ll always be together. I promise.”

Bobby nodded. “Okay, Bryce.”

“I think I’m going to have you stay with Tiny and Kristie, okay?”

Bobby’s eyebrows furrowed. “What about Dave?”

“He can’t be with you. He’s in Heaven. Remember, we talked about that?”

“No, I think he’s somewhere else.”

Bryce sighed. “No, Bobby, but I wish he was.”

Bobby shook his head vehemently. “No, he told the zombies he’d see them in Hell. I heard him say that. Especially the one that tried to bite his hand.”

Bryce chuckled. “Okay, Bobby. But I’m guessing he never made it to Hell. Fortunately, for the zombies.”

Bobby nodded. “Yeah, they probably were tired of playing our game. They kept losing.”

***

“They actually left, huh?” groaned Kristie. “Dammit. I was afraid of that.”

“We have to go find them,” said Paige. “I’m coming with, too, and don’t try to argue with me, mother.”

“Listen,” said Bryce. “It’s too dangerous. I’m going alone to find them. When I do, I’ll bring both girls back; at least Cassie. I doubt anyone can talk Nora into anything.”

“You need me to come with you, brother?” asked Tiny. “I’ll have your back.”

“Thanks, I appreciate it, but I’d rather have you stay here and keep an eye on everyone.”

Tiny nodded. “Yeah, I should probably stick around in case of other threats, as well.”

“Bryce,” said Paige. “You have to let me come with. She’s my best friend. Please!”

“Paige…” warned Kristie.

“I know you want to help, but it might make things harder for me if I have to worry about you. I’d much rather have you keeping an eye on Cassie’s sister, Allie. She’s going to be freaking out when she finds out Cassie’s gone.”

Paige’s lips thinned. “Fine. But you find her and drag her ass back here so I can bitch her out for not taking me with.”

“For the love of God,” snapped Kristie. “It’s not like she was going on spring break to Mexico and left you behind! This is a very dangerous situation she’s in. I still can’t believe she just left without thinking it through.”

They were in the restaurant and Bryce still couldn’t believe that less than twelve hours ago he’d asked Cassie to marry him, and now she was gone. It was maddening.

The door to the restaurant burst open and Billie stormed in. “I heard what happened. I’m coming with you,” he announced.

Bryce stared at him for a minute and then nodded. “Okay.” Cassie had told him about Nora and Billie’s budding relationship and it made perfect sense for him to come along. He’d actually been thinking about asking him anyway.

“Good,” said Billie. “Let’s go before they get too far.”

“Grab some extra clothes, food, and water,” said Bryce. “Don’t forget a weapon or two.”

“I’ve got rifle,” said Billie. “And a new set of golf clubs.”

“I don’t know if we’ll have time for a game, but you’re welcome to bring them. Meet me back here in twenty minutes and we’ll go.”

The door opened again and this time, Belinda hurried in. “Have you seen Henry or Luke?”

Bryce frowned. “No, I haven’t.”

“Luke might be with Allie and Kylie,” said Paige. “They’ve been hanging out a lot lately.”

“We stayed in Bryce’s suite last night, and I don’t think I even heard Luke get up this morning. That kid went to bed late and I just assumed he’d sleep in. Now I can’t find him anywhere. And Henry, he usually doesn’t venture far from my side when it’s yoga hour. He would never miss out on watching me do Downward Dog. It’s his favorite stretch.”

Bryce sighed. “Go check Allie’s room and see if they’re having some kind of powwow or something.”

“I’ll go,” hollered Paige as she scurried away.

“I’ll help you find Henry,” said Kristie. “I’m sure he’s around somewhere.”

Belinda smiled bitterly. “I just get so worried about that old timer.”

“Henry’s as tough as nails,” said Tiny. “Don’t worry about gramps.”

A knot started forming in the pit of Bryce’s stomach. Too many people were missing and something was up. A half hour later, his gut feeling became a reality when he found Kristie freaking out in the lobby. Tiny was trying to calm her down, but it wasn’t working.

“Shit, shit, shit!” hollered Kristie. “Those little shits!”

“What is it?” asked Bryce, setting down his rifle.

“They left,” she said, on the verge of tears.

“Who?”

Tiny sighed. “We found a note from Allie. I guess Luke is taking both her and Kylie to Minnesota. To find Cassie.”

“How is that even possible?” asked Bryce. “Luke is only fourteen. They don’t have a car, and he certainly doesn’t have his license.”

Kristie rubbed her forehead and then stared at him with tears in her eyes. “No, but we do. Our van is missing and I don’t think they’re worried about getting busted by the cops for underage driving.”

Bryce groaned. “Your van is missing?”

“It is. So are the girls’ clothing,” said Kristie. “All of the new outfits they’ve collected are gone. They’d never leave them behind if they weren’t in it for the long haul.”

“Goodbye, whirlpool tub,” muttered Tiny, knowing their stay in Atlanta was soon ending.

“So, Henry’s driving?” asked Bryce.

“I can’t imagine Henry taking those kids to Minnesota,” said Tiny. “He’d never do that.”

“Maybe he left with Nora and Cassie?” said Bryce.

“I wouldn’t put it past him,” said Tiny.

Kristie scowled. “Looks like Paige is getting that road trip she wanted. Dammit.”

“It’ll be okay,” said Tiny, rubbing her back. “We’ll find all of them, hon.”

“I hope so,” she muttered as reached under her shirt and ripped off her nicotine patch. “Because, this isn’t helping my Z.S.S. Someone had better find me a damn cigarette before I lose it completely.”

Belinda held out a pack of smokes. “Here you go, hon. I suffer from that shit, too.”

“Good Lord…” muttered Paige.

***

“Do you know how to get to Minnesota?” asked Allie, who was sitting shotgun next to Luke.

He smiled. “Does a bear shit in the woods?”

“That’s gross,” she replied, but was still smiling.

“My dad used to say that all the time,” sighed Luke.

Allie laughed. “Mine did too.”

“Actually, he has a map,” said Kylie from the backseat. “Tiny left the map in the glove compartment.”

“Well, anyway, thanks again for driving us,” said Allie.

“No problem. Maybe, after we leave the city and find a place not so crowded with zombies, I can teach you how to drive this beast.”

Allie nodded. “That’d be great. How long have you been driving?”

Luke straightened up. “Oh, today was the first day. But it’s not that difficult.”

Kylie started laughing. “That explains a lot.”

They’d had a rough start. Luke had put the key in the ignition started the van and thrown it into reverse, almost hitting a wall.

“What did you girls bring for food?” asked Luke.

Kylie opened up the paper bag. “We have a couple bags of chips, a six pack of soda, and three bottles of water.”

Allie nodded. “Yeah, and don’t forget the jar of almonds.”

“Yeah, that should tide us over until we get to Minnesota,” said Luke.

“Did anyone else bring weapons?” asked Kylie. “I grabbed Paige’s bat.”

“I grabbed a butcher knife from the kitchen,” said Allie, taking it out of her overnight bag.

Luke nodded. “Good. I grabbed a gun.”

Allie’s eyes widened. “You know how to use a gun?”

He snorted. “Yeah. It’s a piece of cake.”

“This is going to be fun,” said Allie. “I’ve always wanted to travel across the country. My parents never seemed to take vacations.”

Luke nodded. “Yeah, mine either.”

Allie smiled at Luke. “We have so much in common.”

He smiled. “I guess we do.”

Kylie noticed the way Allie stared at Luke, it was pure adoration. It was certainly going to be a long ride back home to Minnesota.

“Oh, brother,” mumbled Kylie as she stared out the window.

***

End of Book Three

Road Kill

Prologue

He waited anxiously in the crook of the tree, wondering how he’d escape the three zombies lingering down below. He was pretty sure they were aware of him; in fact, he was positive they could smell him from the way they continued to sniff the air while making those nasty, gurgling noises.

I have to get out of here.

Rubbing the sweat from his brow, he decided it was time. There was no way he could wait any longer. It had been at least two or three hours since he’d left Allie and Kylie, and they were probably freaking out, thinking he’d totally abandoned them. In a few hours the sun would be down and it would be harder to find his way back through the woods. Now, he’d have to return with his tail between his legs, knowing he hadn’t accomplished anything but hiding out in a tree like a scared little wuss.

I may just as well have the word ‘fail’ embedded in my forehead, he thought. What a waste of time.

Releasing a sigh, he reached into his jeans and took out the pink rubber ball he’d found the day before at the rest-stop. It was a longshot, but he had to cause a distraction and hope the zombies moved away to investigate. More than likely, however, they were just far too stupid and would completely ignore it. As he raised the ball to throw it into the woods, a movement in the woods caught his attention.

A pig!

The young Yorkshire was snorting happily as he stopped and began eating something on the grass which, honestly, looked like cheesy-rice or puke.

Luke shuddered as the zombies moved toward the pig, hoping that Wilbur was enjoying his last meal.

With his heart pounding, he waited until the creatures were about twenty feet away from his position and only then did he begin to descend the tree. Just as he was about to reach the bottom, however, the entire tree began to tremble and shake. Stunned, he jumped to the ground, which also rumbled under his tennis shoes.

An earthquake?

Frightened and worried that the earth was going to open up and swallow him whole, he ran back toward the dairy farm. It was the last place he’d left the girls and he hoped they were still okay.

1

Cassie

“I can’t take it anymore,” groaned Nora. “If I have to listen to one more song by ‘Wailing Jennings’, I’m going to shoot myself in the head.”

“It’s ‘Waylon Jennings’,” corrected Henry, “and you need to show him a little respect, God rest his soul. Jesus, I had to listen to ‘Shityeah’ and lost two hours of my life that an old-timer like me can’t afford to waste.”

“It’s ‘Hellyeah’, and they freaken’ rock,” said Nora.

“Rock? Sounds like the main singer had something stuck in his throat,” said Henry. “It’s amazin’ what you kids listen to these days. Why, back in the day –”

Nora rolled her eyes. “Oh, here we go…”

“Artists like Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry knew how to entertain their fans.”

“Well, even I can appreciate Elvis, so why don’t you just stop while you’re ahead,” said Nora.

He went on. “That there Elvis, by golly, he made the women-folk crazy with his gyratin’ hips and velvety, smooth voice. I remember this gal I dated in my early twenties, Barbara Jean Crawford, she got so worked up listening to Elvis on the radio on the way to dinner during our second date, that she jumped my bones right there in the parking lot of the restaurant. I saved myself five dollars that night, man, ‘cause,” he cackled, “we never made that reservation.”

“Oh, for the love of God,” sighed Nora.

“I purchased every one of his records after that and always kept an eight-track in my truck, just in case I was feeling a little frisky.”

“Wow, you, frisky? That’s odd.”

“Yep, went through a lot of shocks in those days, but,” he smiled, wistfully, “them were some mighty good times.”

“Okay, we’re even,” said Nora.

“What do you mean?” he asked.

“I just lost minutes of my life that I’ll never get back, either.”

Having heard enough, I sat up and stretched my arms. “Where are we?”

“Oh, look who’s finally woken up from the dead,” replied Henry, glancing back at me in the rearview mirror. “I’m surprised Shityeah didn’t scare you awake, Wild.”

“Hellyeah,” grunted Nora.

“Nope. I must have really needed the rest,” I yawned. “I didn’t wake up until I heard you two bickering.”

“I’m surprised you could even sleep through this twisted country twang,” said Nora.

Honestly, I wasn’t that crazy about it either, at least not the older country music, but when I saw the look Henry gave her, I changed the subject. “Nora, did you happen to find any of your dad’s CDs?”

She began fiddling with the black leather wristband that Billie had given her. “Yeah.”

“Why don’t you pop one in?” I asked.

“Later,” she replied.

After only a few hours on the road, we’d found a music shop and had stocked up on some CDs for the ride back to Minnesota.

“Your dad’s a musician?” asked Henry.

Nora stared out her side window. “Yep, he’s the lead vocalist for Death Row.”

Henry scratched his whiskers. “Death Row? Sounds like one of those heavy-metal bands. Your dad doesn’t bite off the heads of bats or urinate on his fans, does he?”

Nora turned to him and scowled. “No, but he does smoke too much, tell tall tales, and thinks he’s God’s gift to women. Like someone else we all know.”

Henry was silent for a minute and then his face turned red. “You talkin’ about me? I’ll have you know that I’ve never told a lie. I’ve had me a life filled with experiences that would knock your socks off, young lady. In fact, if I don’t survive this zombie apocalypse mumbo jumbo, I don’t want anyone feeling sorry for me. I’ve had no regrets in life, and as far as I’m concerned, every day from here on out is a gift from the man above.”

“Oh, stop talking about death, old man. You’ll probably outlive every damn one of us,” said Nora.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a tin of chew. “Not if I can help it. Why do you think I decided to tag along with the two of you? It wasn’t because it sounded like a fine plan. Hell no, I’m here because someone’s got to keep you reckless young girls from getting yourselves killed. But, I tell you what – if I die because of it, I know in this here ticker,” he said, pointing to his chest, “that it certainly won’t be in vain.”

I reached forward and gently patted his shoulder. “Come on now, Henry, we’re not going to let that happen. None of us are going to die on this trip.”

“Speaking of which, I think we should focus on getting gas right now,” said Nora, motioning toward the gas gauge. “Before this van dies.”

“Damn these gas-guzzling-mommy-mobiles,” he muttered.

“It’s still better than that gas-hog we left Atlanta in,” I said.

We’d been on the road now for two days and were somewhere in Illinois. After almost running out of gas the day before, we’d traded the truck in for an abandoned Honda Odyssey, because Henry said it would have better gas mileage.

Henry looked at the fuel level and frowned. “I hope we can find something soon. You said you know how to siphon gas, Nora?”

“Yeah,” she said, pulling her dark hair up into a ponytail. I stared at the blue fairy tattooed on the back of her neck and wished I would have gotten something before everything had gone to hell. My dad, who was pretty old-fashioned, would have never allowed it, however.

“So, how did you learn to siphon gas?” I asked.

“Don’t ask,” she answered with a smirk.

“There’s another town coming up, about ten miles,” said Henry. “Let’s just hope the zombie situation is manageable.”

“We need more food, too,” said Nora, slipping a piece of spearmint gum into her mouth. “I’m freaken’ hungry and gum just isn’t doing it anymore.”

“I’m hungry, too,” I said.

She handed me a piece of gum.

We drove the rest of the way in silence as I stared at my engagement ring, wondering what Bryce was doing at that particular moment. More than likely, he’d thrown quite the fit after reading my note and was probably debating on whether or not to track me down. Although I had to agree that it had been a reckless decision on my part, I still stood firm on it; my grandparents’ as well as Nora’s dad’s lives were at stake. If they were still alive, I had to go back for them. Besides, if I could survive the nightmare back in Atlanta, this would be a piece of cake.

“Heads up, girls, the town of Baylor is coming up,” said Henry.

I stared out the window as we entered the rundown little town. Just like most of the other places we’d passed through, it was empty and barren, except for the familiar sight of the dead that shuffled in and out of broken entryways or around street corners.

“Gross,” groaned Nora, rolling up her window.

Yes, the stench of death and decay greeted us like old friends. Baylor, however, held a little something extra for us.

“Crap,” I pointed up the street. “Check it out.”

“Oh, my God, are those nuns?” gasped Nora.

I watched in wonder as three women, all cloaked in black habits and yielding sharp weapons, stood outside of an old drugstore, fending off a group of overzealous zombies.

“Hurry, pull up to them,” I said, picking up the ax I’d set down by my feet.

“Already ahead of you,” said Henry, picking up speed as he steered toward the group.

When we stopped, Nora and I both got out and advanced on the zombies that were threatening the women. Fortunately, they were so transfixed on the nuns that they didn’t pay any notice of us until it was too late.

I moved behind a tall, gangly walker, whose head was bent at an unusual angle, and swung the ax with everything I had. As it fell to its knees, I dislodged my weapon from its skull and kicked the limp torso to the cement.

“Watch out, child!” hollered one of the nuns, a heavier-set woman with red curls poking out of her hood.

“I got it,” said Nora, delivering a roundhouse kick to the zombie rushing toward me. It fell to the ground and she quickly finished it off with her newest bludgeoning device – a long wrench we’d picked up in the last town. I cringed at the horrible crunching noise it made as she slammed it into the zombie’s skull.

“Thanks,” I said.

From there, I beheaded two additional zombies while Nora experimented with different ways of using her new weapon, delighting mostly in the “ram and twist” method. When we’d finished off the rest of the zombies, the nuns thanked us profusely.

“Thank goodness, you showed up,” said the red-haired nun. “I don’t know about Sister Theresa or Sister Elizabeth, but I’m not sure if I could have really attacked one of them.” She held up her large butcher knife. “The thought just sickens me.”

“Well, you have to destroy them,” said Nora, kicking at one of the zombies on the ground as it made one last feeble attempt to reach for her, “if you want to survive.”

Henry, who’d gotten out of the truck, took off his Stetson and nodded. “She’s right. Don’t you burden yourself with the guilt of saving your own life; I’m sure God would understand.”

The nun looked at the bloody carnage we’d created and shook her head. “Well, I’m not so sure about that.”

“Why?” I asked, curious to know the nun’s take on the zombies and all of the bloodshed. “What do you mean?”

The nun turned to me and smiled grimly. “Because these are the ‘End of Days’, honey. These walking corpses are all part of God’s plan to eliminate the evil and corrupt, to cleanse the earth, so that we can start fresh.”

Henry’s eyes widened. “Uh, excuse me? You mean…”

“Yes,” said the other nun. “This is just the preliminary to what’s going to happen next.”

“You mean you seriously think it’s going to get worse than this?” I asked, not knowing what to believe.

“Yes, child, much worse,” she replied, laying a hand on my shoulder.

2

Allie and Kylie

“Wake up, Allie,” whispered Kylie, shaking her shoulder.

“What?” she mumbled, opening her eyes. “More tremors?”

“No, if there’d have been another quake, you’d have woken up with me screaming my butt off. It’s just…” she sighed. “Luke’s not back yet.”

Allie pushed herself up. “How long has it been?”

“Well, you’ve been asleep for at least two hours.”

She groaned. That meant he’d been gone for four or five hours, maybe longer.

“Do you think they got him?” whispered Kylie, biting her lower lip.

“I don’t know,” said Allie, pulling out pieces of straw from her blonde hair. “Probably not. He’s pretty smart, so I don’t think he would have let that happen.”

“Yeah, but if he was outnumbered...”

“Don’t say that, I’m sure he’s fine.” Allie wrinkled her nose. “Oh man, it stinks in here. Like a mixture of horse manure and…”

“Death,” replied Kylie.

They were hiding up in the loft of an old barn in the middle of nowhere, while a dozen or so zombies wandered aimlessly below, sniffing the air, searching for the source of the succulent smell of living flesh floating somewhere in the air.

“We should have stayed in the van,” said Kylie, playing with a piece of straw. She twirled it between her fingers and then flicked it away. “How are we ever going to get out of here?”

“Don’t worry. Luke will be back and he’ll know what to do.”

“Let’s hope,” sighed Kylie.

They’d run out of gas less than twenty-four hours after leaving Atlanta, and had been forced to abandon the van on the side of the road. After walking a couple of miles, they’d chanced upon an old farmhouse, inhabited by the stench of rotten food and even rottener… zombies. Tired and hungry, they’d dashed to the barn to hide up in the loft while Luke went in search of another vehicle for the three of them.

“I don’t know, I still don’t think he should have left us,” said Kylie. “It’s too dangerous to be alone out there. We could have helped him.”

“Or we could have been eaten,” said Allie. “Look, it’ll be easier for him if he doesn’t have to worry about us.”

“Yeah, I suppose,” she said.

Allie crawled over to the edge of the loft and looked down into the lower part of the barn. “None of them have tried using the ladder?”

Kylie moved along next to her. “They couldn’t figure it out,” she said as they watched the zombies shuffle around, moaning and slightly agitated. “One of them stood at the bottom, looking up, and I thought for sure, he was going to crawl up here, but fortunately for us, he was just too dense to figure out how to do it.”

“Thank God.”

One of the zombies, a woman with long stringy hair and a chewed-up nose, must have heard something, because she looked up at them and began growling. Then, two other zombies joined in, and soon the entire barn sounded like a bunch of cats in heat.

The girls backed away from the edge.

“God, I wish they’d just stop,” groaned Allie, holding her hands over her ears.

Kylie closed her eyes and began praying.

“What are you doing?” asked Allie.

Kylie opened her eyes. “Praying that someone will come and save us.”

Allie closed her eyes and began praying, too. Anything was worth trying at this point.

After several minutes of praying, both girls noticed the zombies had quieted down and they opened their eyes.

“No way,” whispered Allie, peeking over the edge of the loft again.

Not only had the zombies quieted down, but they’d actually left the barn.

“Don’t get too excited,” said Kylie, walking over to the open window. She leaned down and pointed. “Look.”

Allie stared in horror at the scene outside. Luke had returned and was holding some kind of makeshift torch, trying to get back into the barn, while a crowd of about fifteen zombies were moving toward him.

“He needs our help!” cried Allie, rushing toward the ladder.

“Are you kidding me? There’s too many!” hollered Kylie, grabbing her arm. “It’s suicide to go down there. We lost our weapons and there’s no way we can kill those things with our bare hands.”

The sound of gunfire startled both of them and they dashed back over to the window. A big red pickup was now parked outside of the barn, its owner firing his gun at the zombies surrounding Luke.

“Holy cow,” whispered Allie, staring at the tall, muscular guy. “That guy is fine.”

“Seriously, he’s like, old,” said Kylie. “He has to be in his twenties.”

Noticing the two girls looking down from the window, Luke ran into the barn and yelled for them to climb down the ladder. When they reached the bottom, they both hugged him and his face turned crimson.

“Oh, my God, are you okay?” cried Allie, noticing the way he winced when she released him.

“Yeah, I’m okay. I had a close call with a zombie earlier. Thankfully, the lower part of his face was missing and he couldn’t bite me.” He shuddered. “I don’t think I’ve ever smelled anything that bad in my life.”

“You weren’t trapped in the barn with us and a group of those things, these last few hours. Even the cow dung couldn’t mask the smell,” said Kylie.

The gunfire ceased suddenly, and the three of them stepped outside of the barn to see what was happening.

“Do you know that guy?” whispered Kylie as the stranger walked toward them.

“No,” he said, stomping out the flames on the torch. “I never did find help. At least, not before this guy showed up.”

“Hopefully he is help,” whispered Allie. “Or at the very least, friendly.”

The guy didn’t appear very friendly; in fact, as he stepped closer, he looked more ominous than anything.

“Stay close to me,” said Luke.

“He looks like some kind of a biker dude,” whispered Allie. She smiled. “That’s kind of hot.”

“Oh, my God,” snorted Kylie.

“Hey,” called the man, stopping a few yards away. He had a flattened blonde Mohawk, a couple piercings on his stubbly face, and some kind of tribal tattoo on his left arm. “So, are you kids okay?”

“Yes,” said Luke, stepping in front of the girls. “Um, thanks for helping with those things.”

He stared at Luke for a minute and then shook his head. “You’d have been a real goner if I wouldn’t have seen you. Don’t you have any kind of weapons?”

“Yeah, had a gun, but I ran out of bullets,” said Luke. “Have a knife, too, but I thought that maybe the fire would keep them at bay.”

“They’re not animals. And they’re obviously not afraid of fire.”

“I guess not,” said Luke.

The man stepped closer, slipping his revolver into the back waistband of his faded jeans. “You girls okay?”

Allie moved around Luke, to get a better look at him and noticed he was even younger than she’d originally thought. “We’re fine. What’s your name?” she asked.

He stared at her for a minute and then answered, “Justice.”

Kylie raised her eyebrows. “Justice?”

He looked away. “My mom, she was into old westerns.”

Allie smiled. “How old are you?”

He cocked an eyebrow. “Why?”

Her cheeks turned pink. “Just wondering.”

“Twenty,” said Justice. “So, you three out here alone?”

Luke stepped around Allie, pushing her back behind him. “There are more of us. We’ve just been separated temporarily.”

“Good,” said Justice. “Try to un-separate, as soon as you can. It’s too dangerous to be out here on your own. Especially for you kids.” He then turned around and began walking away.

“Wait!” hollered Kylie, catching up to him. “So, um, where are you going?”

He shrugged. “Was going to check the house for food or other supplies.  You guys get a chance to do that yet?”

“Not really,” said Kylie. “There were zombies in there when we showed up. Probably still is.”

“Well, at this point, I’m hungrier than they are,” he said, walking toward his truck. He reached into the back and pulled out a machete. “So, they’d better stay out of my way in the kitchen. Here,” he said, reaching into the truck a second time. He picked up an old wooden baseball bat and held it out to Luke. “Use this if you have to.”

“Thanks,” he replied.

Justice nodded and started walking toward the house, machete raised. “Stay outside,” he ordered, “until I give you the okay to come in.”

“You want any help?” asked Luke.

“I got this,” he replied, raising his hand in the air. “Just stay out of the way.”

They watched as Justice climbed the stairs to the porch, opened the screen door, and disappeared inside.

“Think he’ll be okay in there?” asked Kylie.

“Did you see him? It’s obvious he knows what he’s doing,” replied Allie.

A few minutes later, Kylie’s question was answered. Justice stepped back outside, the blade of his machete covered in red and black slime.

He held the door open and waved. “Well, come on in, then, if you’re hungry. Lucky for us, I found some food in the pantry, still edible.”

“Are they all dead?” asked Kylie.

“Yeah, there were only four left in the house.  Watch where you step, though, it’s a little messy inside.”

They walked past him and into the farmhouse, stopping abruptly as they encountered two headless zombies sprawled out on the wooden floor.

“Oh,” croaked Allie. “It smells rancid in here.”

“It helps if you breathe through your mouth,” said Justice, moving around her.

“No, it doesn’t help,” she said, following him into the kitchen. “Not when it’s this bad.”

“Um, you know, I’m not really hungry anymore,” mumbled Kylie as she stepped over a wet, mangled eyeball.

“Yes, you are. Come on, you have to eat something,” said Luke. “We all do.”

Fortunately, the kitchen was free of zombies and didn’t smell quite as bad as the rest of the house.

“Here’s the pantry,” said Justice, opening up a door on the other side of the kitchen. “Check all this out.”

“Oh, my God!” squealed Allie, picking up a box of Cocoa Pops. She turned to Kylie. “Didn’t this used to be your favorite cereal?”

“Yeah. I guess this farm didn’t care about added sugar and artificial flavoring,” joked Kylie. “Looks like they’ve got Pop-Tarts, too.”

“Oh, I love those,” moaned Allie, grabbing the box from her.

“And that’s not all,” said Justice, lifting up a jug of apple juice. “Don’t know about you guys, but this is the closest I’ve come to real fruit in a long time.”

“Nice,” said Allie, biting into a Pop-Tart. “Mm… this is so good.”

“Wow, look at all of this stuff… cans of tuna and chicken,” said Luke, pulling them off of the shelf. “Peanuts and pretzels. We hit the mother-load.”

“Fortunately for us, this house must be one of the few places around here that hasn’t been looted yet. Let’s put everything on the counter,” said Justice. “Then we’ll sort it all out and go from there.”

They cleaned out the pantry, pulling out boxes of graham crackers, canned veggies and soup, and more boxes of cereal.

“Here’s a can opener,” said Luke, pulling it out of a drawer. “I call dibs on the Spaghetti-O’s.”

“Eat sparingly,” said Justice. “All of you. Obviously, you’re going to need to save some for later. Plus, if it’s been a while since you’ve eaten, you might not feel all that well if you gorge yourself.”

Although they were all hungry, and it had been a while since they’d eaten anything besides chips, they all agreed that the food needed to be rationed.

“It’s hard to find food now,” said Justice, filling a small glass of apple juice. “Other survivors are raiding homes and stores, hoarding everything. I haven’t eaten anything in two days.”

“So, are you all alone?” asked Allie.

“Yep,” he said, raising the glass to his lips.

“Where are you heading?” asked Luke.

He shrugged. “Nowhere in particular. Just trying to survive, man.”

“You can come with us,” said Allie, her eyes lighting up. “We’re going to Minnesota, to find my sister.”

“Oh yeah? You sure she’s even alive?”

She nodded. “My sister and Nora are bad-asses. They’re both alive.”

Justice leaned against the counter and smiled. “Oh, is that right?”

Allie nodded solemnly. “Cassie has a Black Belt in karate and has killed hundreds of zombies already. If anyone is still alive, it’s her.”

“A badass-martial–arts zombie killer, huh? Well, although I wouldn’t mind meeting your sister or her friend, gas is getting harder to come by these days,” said Justice. “Going to have to pass.”

“Dude, you can always siphon gas or just hotwire another vehicle,” said Luke.

He shrugged. “Yeah, I could, but it’s a pain in the ass.”

“So, what, you’re just going to hang out in this town?” asked Allie.

“No. Actually, I’m heading to Atlanta,” he said. “See if they’ve found a cure yet.”

“Don’t waste your time,” said Luke. “We were just there.”

Justice frowned. “They haven’t figured this shit out yet?”

“Not yet. The CDC has shut down and relocated,” said Allie. “My sister said that most of the scientists are zombies now, and the few that are working on a cure aren’t having much luck.”

“Dammit,” replied Justice, rubbing a hand over his face. “What the hell are we supposed to do now?”

“Hey, I’m sure they’ll find a cure eventually,” said Luke. “They just need more time.”

Justice stood up and began to pace. “Well, I don’t have time,” he said.

“What, you have an appointment somewhere?” joked Luke. “Seems like all we have is time these days.”

“No. I don’t have any time to wait. Shit!” he growled, kicking one of the lower cupboards with his boot.

“Simmer down, man,” said Luke.

“What do you mean? You don’t have time for what?” asked Allie.

He stared at the counter angrily, tapping his fingers and then sighed. “I don’t have time because,” he raised his black T-shirt, exposing his lower stomach, and what appeared to be human teeth marks, “one of those bitches got a little too close to me in the last town.”

“Oh, my God, you were bitten by a zombie?” gasped Kyle, taking a step back.

Justice dropped his shirt back down. “It certainly isn’t a hickey,” he answered with a cold smile.

“Seriously, though, it’s not that bad,” said Luke, amazed to have seen the individual teeth marks embedded on his bruised skin. “Did the zombie even draw blood?”

“Yeah, just a little. Enough to taint my blood, I’m sure.”

“So, when did it happen?” asked Allie.

“Last night.”

Allie bit her lower lip. “Do you feel any different – feverish or dizzy?”

He shrugged. “Had a temperature this morning. Luckily, I found some aspirin.”

“If you’re up and walking, you’re doing pretty good, I’d say. My sister and I were both bitten and lived.”

His eyes widened. “Really?”

“Seriously,” she said. “We even went into comas and came out of it. Seems to me that if you’re still running around and killing zombies, you’re going to be just fine.”

Justice sighed. “I hope you’re right.”

“See, you could join us now,” smiled Allie. “If you really wanted to.”

He rubbed his chin. “You say you’re heading to Minnesota?”

“Yeah, then back to Atlanta to our new home, the Ritz Carlton. You join us and we’ll make sure you get a suite with a view,” said Luke.

“The Ritz, huh?”

Luke nodded. “Yeah. That’s where the rest of our group is. We have a stockpile of food, weapons, and… the beds, man I miss those pillow-tops.”

“Plus, we could always use extra help against the zombies and thieves trolling the streets,” said Allie. “I’m sure Tiny and Bryce would gladly let you in, especially if you help us get back there.”

“Tiny?” asked Justice.

“Yeah,” said Kylie. “He’s a famous wrestler. Have you ever heard of him?”

He nodded. “Yeah, that big guy with the small voice?”

“Yep. He has a little bit of a lisp,” said Kylie. “But don’t mention it. Ever. He’s a little sensitive.”

Justice’s lip twitched. “I wouldn’t.”

“So, you coming with?” asked Allie.

“What you’re really asking is if I’ll drive,” said Justice.

Allie giggled. “Yeah, okay. Well?”

He paused for a few seconds and then nodded. “Okay, fine, I’ll drive but it means that I’m in charge. When I say ‘run’, you run like the wind. When I say ‘get down’, you get down as quick as possible – no questions asked.”

“No problem,” said Kylie. “We’ll do whatever you say.”

“Yeah, dude,” said Luke. “Just as long as you don’t start foaming at the mouth or drooling when you look at us.”

“Same goes to you,” said Justice, walking toward the kitchen door. “Any drooling and I’m kicking your asses out of my truck.”

“Too late,” whispered Allie, staring at him with moon-eyes. “That guy is hot, Kylie. Don’t know about you, but I’m already drooling.”

Kylie just smiled. Even she had to admit, Justice was pretty cute.

3

Bryce

“Well, it doesn’t look like anyone’s been back here,” said Bryce, stepping over two zombies lying on Cassie’s bloodstained driveway. It was hot and the stench from the fly-infested bodies lying around was enough to make him gag. It was nothing, however, compared to the restless angst knotted in the pit of his stomach. He’d driven like a madman trying to catch up to her, hoping that they’d somehow cross paths before reaching Minnesota. But the road back home had been pretty uneventful and there’d been no sign of anyone else still breathing.

Where was Cassie?

“What in the hell do we do now?” he thought out loud.

“I think we should go back inside and look for an address book or something,” said Paige. “Maybe even a phone book, to see if we can find their grandparents’ address.”

“Yeah, but, do you even know their names?” asked Billie.

Paige shrugged. “The name Wild would be a good start. They live somewhere in Willow Springs.”

Kristie looked toward the road and shook her head. “Dammit, where are those kids?”

The five of them, Bryce, Billie, Kristie, Tiny, and Paige had made it back to Minnesota in record time –
two days. Twice they’d had to switch vehicles, and a few times they’d had some harrowing encounters with zombies, but their determination to reach their friends and family had made them vigilant.

“What about your house?” asked Tiny. “Do you think they might have stopped there?”

Kristie shrugged. “I guess it’s possible.”

“Mom, they’re probably not even in town yet,” said Paige. “I’m actually surprised we made it back here so quickly.”

Kristie’s eyes filled with tears. “What if something happened to them? They’re just children, and to be out there, somewhere, in this godforsaken zombie shit!” She turned to Tiny. “I don’t know if I could handle it if Kylie was hurt. Or any of them for that matter.”

He grabbed her hand and pulled her into his arms. “We’ll find them, babe,” he murmured, holding her against his chest. “All of them.”

“Shit, looks like we’ve been found. Heads up, everyone – zombies approaching,” said Bryce, raising his rifle.

More than a dozen of them were staggering in their direction from throughout the neighborhood.

Paige tightened her hold on the metal bat. “How do they do that?”

“They must smell us or something,” said Bryce. “Let’s get back inside and search the house before we attract more trouble than we can handle.”

They quickly moved the SUV into the garage and then pulled the door down, but not before one of the zombies made it inside. The creature stared at the group as if he’d won the lottery and began to advance.

“Wow, did you see that?” asked Tiny as he shoved a large knife into the zombie’s skull and twisted. “He actually had enough sense to duck underneath the garage door.”

Paige scowled. “Just what we need – zombies with common sense. What is the world coming to?”

“As long as they don’t start talking to us,” said Kristie.

“Yeah, could you imagine? ‘Give me your brains’,” chuckled Tiny as he kicked the zombie’s torso to the side.

“You’ll never hear that from a zombie,” smirked Paige.

Kristie scowled. “Paige…”

Paige’s eyes widened innocently. “What?”

“It’s okay,” said Tiny. “Paige is just doing it to blow off steam. If harassing me makes life easier for her to handle right now, so be it. I’m not going to take it personally.”

“It’s not okay,” said Kristie. “Paige, you need to treat Tiny with more respect. He’s saved our lives at least a dozen times, and all I’ve heard from your mouth are smart-assed comments.”

“Oh, lighten up, mom,” mumbled Paige. “It’s your fault, if anything. You raised me.”

Kristie sighed. “I guess it is my fault. The apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree.”

“Nothing wrong with that,” said Tiny. “I’d rather be surrounded with brave smart-asses than feel like I’m too intimidating to tease.”

A loud banging on the outside of the garage door startled the group. As it grew louder and more intense, Paige covered her ears. “Now, who the hell is doing that?!” she hollered.

“Zombies,” said Bryce. “They know we’re in here.”

“They’re aggressiveness is obviously growing,” said Billie, slamming the door of the Expedition.

“I didn’t think they were that alert,” said Kristie. “Usually they forget about us the moment we’re out of sight.”

“Maybe they’re getting some of their human qualities back,” said Tiny.

“Or just plain adapting,” said Bryce. “I doubt they’re actually becoming more human.”

“Let’s get inside,” said Paige. “Those nosy bastards are really pissing me off.”

They stepped into the house through the garage and then split up, searching for something that would give them a clue as to where the girls might have gone.

“Here,” said Kristie, after looking through a box of old birthday cards in Cassie’s bedroom. “This has to be them.”

“Steve and Diana Wild?” asked Paige, her eyebrows furrowing. “I thought their grandmothers’ names were Judy and Irene.”

“They are. I think that Steve is Dave’s brother. Steve Junior. Steve Senior is who we’re looking for,” said Kristie, shuffling through the cards. “Oh, here’s one. It says ‘Happy Birthday, Cassie, from Grandma Judy’, but the address on the envelope is somewhere in Florida.”

Paige nodded. “That’s got to be her. Cassie mentioned she travels a lot. In fact, she was supposed to have been on some kind of European cruise when all of this stuff started going down. She didn’t like talking about it, though. I guess her grandmother got the zombie vaccine before she left for the cruise.”

Kristie cringed. “Oh. Well, maybe that was actually a blessing. Could you imagine being trapped on a cruise ship with thousands of zombies? There’d be nowhere to run.”

“All those poor old people,” said Paige. “How horrible.”

“I don’t know,” said Kristie. “Henry certainly knows how to take care of himself.”

“Yeah, but he’s not your typical old man.”

“True. Oh, here we go,” said Kristie, pulling out a pink envelope. She stood up. “This has got to be the other grandparents. Steve and Irene – Willow Lake. That’s only about twenty minutes from here. Let’s go tell the boys.”

As they turned to leave, there was a chorus of snarls and groans moving toward them from down the hallway.

“What the hell?” whispered Kristie. “How did they make it into the house? I thought all the doors were locked?”

Two zombies shuffled to the doorway as they sniffed at the air.

“Hhhhhaaaa…..” gurgled one of the zombies, its foul lips turned up in pleasure as it found the source of the smell.

“Did that thing just say something?” said Paige, grabbing a metal lamp from the nightstand. She quickly unscrewed the finial, removed the shade, and then held the lamp in front of her. “Because I could have sworn it just said ‘ha’!”

“I don’t know. Dammit, where in the hell are those men? Tiny!!!”

“Hhhaa….” rasped one of the zombies, a bald guy about Paige’s age with a goatee and black shiny plates in his earlobes.

“Ha yourself!” Paige growled at the zombie as it stumbled into the bedroom and reached for her. She raised the end of the lamp and slammed it down onto the zombie’s skull, but it only stunned him for a few seconds.

“Hhhaa…”

“Oh, for the love of God,” mumbled Paige.

“Hhhaa.”

This time she rammed it into the zombie’s left eye and grimaced as it fell backwards with the lamp still deeply imbedded.

“Paige!” screamed Kristie, holding up her lighter in defense as a second zombie moved toward it, staring in awe.

She stared at her incredulously. “Seriously, mom?”

The flame went out and Kristie flicked it again. “I’ll bet this sucker used to smoke in his previous life,” she said with a smirk. “Look at his face. Now he’s having flashbacks, aren’t you boy?”

“Enough, he’s not a dog, mom.”

The zombie, who was a tall, older guy with a pocked face and oozing sores, growled and reached for Kristie as she waved the lighter in front of his face a few more times. Unfortunately, he stumbled over the box of greeting cards they’d left on the carpet and fell forward, knocking both of them to the ground.

“Mom!” screamed Paige as Kristie pushed the zombie’s chomping teeth away from her face.

“Oh man,” shuddered Kristie, “you could really use a Tic-Tac.”

Just then, Tiny charged into the room, reached down, picked up the zombie, and slammed the creature over his knee. The sound of bones cracking made them all wince.

“Oh, my God,” said Kristie, as she stood up on shaky knees, her voice quivering. “I almost thought I was a goner there. Five more seconds in that guy’s arms and he would have put a whole new meaning to ‘sucking face’.”

Tiny slammed his heel into the back of the zombie’s head, sending what was left of his brains across the light beige shag carpet. “Sorry, babe,” he said, wiping his boot. “There were more of them downstairs. They kept us pretty busy.”

“Hello!” hollered Paige. “Can someone help me with this thing?”

A third zombie had slipped inside of the bedroom and had her trapped in a corner without anything to defend herself with.

“Hold on,” said Tiny, grabbing a dark blue comforter from the bed. He threw it over the zombie’s head, wrapped him inside, then picked him up and walked out of the bedroom.

“What are you going to do with him?” asked Kristie, following close behind.

“Babe, can you find something to kill it with?” he said, as the zombie struggled to get out of the comforter. “I think I may have twisted my ankle a little when I killed that last one.”

As they reached the kitchen, Kristie reached inside one of the drawers and pulled out a large rolling pin. “Here.”

Paige burst out laughing.

“No, that will work,” said Tiny, setting the struggling zombie onto the floor.

“Don’t ever underestimate your mother,” said Kristie, handing the rolling pin to Tiny. “I’ve got me some mad skills when it comes to killing zombies.”

“Amen, sister,” said Tiny as he raised the rolling pin and smashed it down onto the zombie’s skull.

“Everyone okay up here?” asked Bryce, holding a long metal crowbar covered in blood.

“We’re fine,” said Kristie, “What about you? You don’t look so good.”

He wiped the sweat from his forehead. “I’m fine. Damn zombies broke the glass patio door downstairs. Caught us all by surprise.”

“Where’s Billie?” asked Paige.

“Right here,” he replied, stepping into the kitchen, looking just as frazzled.

“Did you guys block that patio door?” asked Kristie.

“Yeah, we moved the computer armoire in front of the entrance,” said Billie, rubbing his bicep. “Sucker weighs a ton.”

“Well, I found what we needed,” said Kristie, holding up the envelope. “We should get moving.”

“I’m going to leave a note,” said Bryce as he started searching through drawers. “In case one of them shows up here, so they know where we’re heading.”

“Well, just tell them to stay put if they make it here,” said Kristie. “We’ll come back this way after checking Cassie’s grandparents’ and then my house.”

Bryce nodded and began writing on a notepad when the loud banging began.

“Great, what’s going on now?” asked Paige.

Billie walked to the window and looked outside. “Shit.”

“What?” asked Kristie, joining him at the window. “Oh…”

Dozens of zombies surrounded the house, slapping at the wood and glass with their hands.

“They’re going to eventually break through those windows,” said Tiny, looking over Kristie’s head. “We’d better get out before that happens.”

The sound of shattering glass from somewhere down below confirmed their fears.

“Let’s move,” said Bryce, picking up the crowbar.

“Don’t forget your bat this time,” said Kristie, handing it to Paige. “It should be your new best friend.”

She nodded. “Especially since my old best friend abandoned me.”

Kristie sighed. “She didn’t abandon you, honey. I’m sure she just wanted to keep you safe.”

“Still,” said Paige as they stepped back out to the garage. “She took Nora, why not me?”

“No,” said Billie. “Nora took Cassie. It was her idea in the first place. She’s looking for her father.”

“I don’t care whose idea it was,” said Bryce as he opened the door to the Expedition. “They’re both getting their asses chewed out when I find them.”

“All of them are getting their asses chewed, starting with Luke,” said Kristie, getting into the back of the vehicle. “Taking those girls across country when neither of them can drive, let alone shoot a damn gun.”

“Mom, Kylie and Allie are definitely not victims. If anyone, you should feel bad for Luke. He’s already learned his lesson being stuck in a vehicle with those two, believe me.”

Kristie smiled. “Yeah, when those two start talking, it can certainly make your head spin.”

“Especially about boys,” said Paige. “Both of them are so boy-crazy, it’s ridiculous.”

Kristie’s face darkened. “Don’t remind me, Paige. I don’t need anything else added on to my current list of worries – two girls alone with a fifteen-year-old boy, hormones running wild.”

Bryce put the key into the ignition as Billie and Tiny lifted the garage door.

“Get in!” shouted Paige as a group of zombies moved toward the men.

Billie raised his gun and began shooting while Tiny used his crowbar to defend himself.

“What the hell is that?” shouted Kristie, holding onto the dashboard as the truck began to shake.

“I… I don’t know,” said Bryce, staring down at the dashboard.

“Earthquake!” yelled Billie, jumping inside. “Pull out of the garage so we don’t get trapped inside of here.”

Paige’s face turned white. “I didn’t know Minnesota had earthquakes!”

Tiny jumped into the front seat next to Bryce. “Back out now, brother, quickly!”

Bryce threw it in reverse and the tires rolled over two zombies who’d lost their footing.

Paige threw her arms around her mother as the tremors grew more intense. “Oh, my God, are we going to die?”

“Honey, calm down. I won’t let anything happen to you,” she answered, closing her eyes.

Seconds later, the vibrations stopped.

“Well, that was odd,” said Billie, staring out the window. Besides the zombies gathering around their vehicle, everything seemed so normal. As if the quake had never happened. “First zombies and now tremors in Minnesota?” he frowned. “These are some crazy days.”

“Very,” said Kristie, releasing Paige. “Hasn’t been any of those in this state since the seventies.”

“Is it going to happen again?” asked Paige, staring out the window at the row of grey clouds that were moving in.

“I don’t know,” sighed Kristie. “Let’s just pray that Kylie and everyone else are safe.”

“Dammit,” said Bryce, rubbing a hand over his face. “This is getting more dangerous by the minute. What in the hell was she thinking of when she left Atlanta? When I get my hands on her…”

“Chill out, Bryce,” said Paige. “It wasn’t just Cassie who left, and besides, she was only trying to save the rest of her family. Don’t try telling us that you wouldn’t have done the same thing.”

His face darkened. “I wouldn’t have taken off in the middle of the night, and I certainly would have planned it out a lot better.”

“You’re the reason she took off in the middle of the night,” said Paige. “She knew you’d try and stop her.”

His eyes widened. “Oh, now it’s my fault?”

“Well, you’re kind of bossy,” she said.

“Bossy? I’m sensible. Look, it’s obvious that she needs guidance,” said Bryce. “And the fact that she took off like that just proves it.”

“Listen,” interrupted Kristie. “Pointing fingers isn’t going to solve anything. We’ve all done some crazy shit in the last few weeks and it was done out of desperation and the will to survive. Now we have to work together and find these kids before they end up dead or, God forbid, undead. So quit with the dramatics and let’s get rolling before you find out how frightening a woman out of cigarettes and on the verge of menopause can get. You all feelin’ me?”

“Yes, mother, I feel you,” said Paige.

“Me too,” smirked Bryce.

“Good,” said Kristie. “Now, let’s see if we can turn our luck around and find everyone before it gets dark.”

“We have about two hours,” said Tiny.

She rubbed the sweat from her forehead. “Well then in two hours I want a drink in one hand, a smoke in the other, and everyone who’s missing, accounted for.”

“Right, I think that’s asking for nothing short than a miracle,” said Paige.

“Don’t discount anything,” said Kristie. “You ever hear about the power of attraction? Positive energy attracts positive things?”

“I’ve heard of it,” said Paige. “Sounds like a crock of crap to me.”

“Well, I don’t know… they say it really works,” said Kristie.

Paige snorted. “Well, if it really works, why didn’t ‘they’ practice it a little better before all of these zombies made an appearance?”

“Maybe nobody was practicing anything positive when the zombie virus spread,” said Tiny softly. “In fact, maybe everything that’s happened is the cause of something much more intense than just a bad batch of flu vaccine.”

“What are you trying to say? That this zombie apocalypse happened because of negative energy?” scoffed Paige.

Billie sighed. “I see where you’re going – the world had already started going to pot before any of this, and maybe this is some kind of retribution we brought upon ourselves?”

“Maybe,” replied Tiny.

“Well then who’s punishing us?” asked Paige. “Aliens?”

“You ever heard of ‘The End of Days’?” asked Billie.

Kristie sighed. “Yes, of course. But come on, zombies aren’t a sign of the end of the world. I highly doubt they were mentioned in the Bible.”

“What are you people talking about?” asked Paige. “Zombies, the Bible, the end of the world?”

“Nothing,” said Kristie. “Don’t worry about it.”

“Just like I saw this special about it on the history channel – we will be struck by deadly plagues,” said Billie, his tone grave, “and famines and earthquakes. The sky will turn dark and oceans will turn to blood. And finally, the Antichrist will emerge to fight the final battle between good and evil.”

“That Antichrist?!” cried Paige, her voice shrill. “You mean, like Satan?”

“Paige,” said Kristie. “Just settle down. It’s not the end of the world, and nobody knows for sure that Satan is even real.”

“Well, if he is, right now would be the perfect time for him to show up,” said Billie.

“Oh, my God,” moaned Paige. “The deadly plagues could be the flu that infected everyone, the famine could be happening now because fresh food is so scarce. And what about the tremors we felt earlier – what in the hell was that about?”

“Just chill out, you guys,” said Kristie. “You’re all making mountains out of molehills.”

“And… the skies are definitely gray,” said Paige, staring up into the clouds.

“It’s summer in Minnesota,” said Kristie. “Now, everyone, stop it! Unless the sky starts raining down scorpions, locusts, or frogs, I don’t want to hear any more crap about the end of the world!”

Just then, a loud clap of thunder made them all jump and they watched in silence as the rain began to pour.

4

Cassie

“Wow,” said Nora, staring around in amazement.

The nuns had taken us to their church, an old cathedral on the other side of town. Candles lit the interior, and through the dim light, we were met with dozens of fearful but curious eyes.

“Lord above,” said Henry, staring at the group of children who watched us warily. There had to be fifty of them, ranging from three to slightly younger than myself. “Where did all of these children come from?”

“Most of them are from the orphanage,” said Sister Francine, the red-haired nun. “We brought them over as soon as we saw the signs. I knew they needed our protection through these difficult times.”

The hair stood up on the back of my neck as her face took on a serene, almost angelic look. All three nuns believed without a doubt that the zombies were a significant part of the ‘End of Days.’ I, myself, didn’t know what to think. It was certainly the end of something. Civilization as we’d known it.

“You really think that the world is coming to an end?” asked Nora, in disbelief. “God’s wrath?”

Sister Francine nodded slowly. “Know this – in the last days, perilous times will come, for men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, and lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. Does that not sound familiar?”

“Timothy,” said Henry. “Paul’s letter to Timothy. I know that verse well.”

A chill went down my spine. I cleared my throat. “So, this is it? You really think this is the end for all of us?”

Sister Francine smiled and shook her head. “No, not the end, but a new beginning.”

The door to the church swung open and two nuns rushed inside, looking upset.

“Two men are here,” said one of the nuns. “Big men. They are demanding we let them in.”

“Do they have guns?” asked Henry.

“I don’t know,” said the other nun, who appeared to be close to my age.

“Are there any zombies outside of the gate?” asked Nora.

“No,” said the young nun. “Not yet, anyway.”

“I’ll go check this out,” said Henry, raising his gun. “Let them know we’re armed. You have to be careful of who you can trust, you know.”

“Regardless, we will not turn anyone away,” said Sister Francine.

Henry’s eyes narrowed. “Are you willing to risk the lives of these innocent little children, Sister? There are some nasty characters running around. We’ve lost quite a few of our friends from murderers and vagabonds roaming outside of these gates.”

“God has protected us this far,” she said, smiling. “I have faith that he will keep us safe.”

“Well, I stopped relying on faith the moment my parents were killed,” I said, feeling my eyes mist up. “They were good people, too. They didn’t deserve to die.”

She smiled sadly. “God has a plan for everyone, child. It’s hard to understand, but you must accept it and know that all will be revealed someday. It is his will.”

“Yes,” said Sister Theresa. “Each of us will be called to Heaven when it’s our time. Some of us much earlier than others.”

Henry’s lips curled under as he removed the safety on his gun. He turned toward the door and started walking. “That may be so,” he muttered. “But I tell you what – today is certainly not going to be my time, Sister.”

“Wait, Henry,” I said, hurrying to catch up to him. “I’ll come with you.”

“You just stay back and help protect everyone else, Wild,” said Henry. “I can handle this.”

“I really think I should back you up.”

He stopped and turned to me. “Listen, if something happens to me, they’re going to need you. Now, keep your gun close and don’t let anyone in unless I give you the okay.”

“Fine,” I huffed. “But if you’re not back in thirty seconds, I’m coming out there.”

He shook his head. “Jesus Christ, quit being so goddamn stubborn, girl. You’ve done your share, now let the rest of us take our turns.”

My eyebrows shot up. “Henry, you’re in a church.”

He looked up and nodded. “Well, the ‘Big Guy’ is going to have a chance to rip me a new one when I stand before him, which will probably be sometime soon, Wild. But for now, do what I say and you might save me from having to do a few more Hail Marys before we leave this place.”

I nodded reluctantly, and then watched him walk out the door.

“Hey,” said Nora, walking over to me. “If I were you, I’d forget what that stubborn old man said and go watch him. You know his vision is going and his reaction time sucks. I’ll stay back here and keep an eye on things.”

“That’s what I was kind of thinking,” I said. Plus, my stomach was in knots, the feeling of dread overwhelming.

I removed my gun from the holster and raced outside where Henry stood, talking to a couple of men through the thick metal gate. The tension in the air was heavy as I stopped beside him.

“Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes, sweetheart,” smiled a greasy-looking guy with long, dark hair, powerful-looking arms, and a teardrop tattoo under his left eye. “Haven’t seen a real living woman in days.”

“She’s a young girl, not a woman,” said Henry, spitting out a wad of chew. “Mind me, Wild, and go back into the church.”

“No,” said the other fellow, who was shorter, with red hair and an easy smile. “I think we should ask her the same thing we asked you, see if she agrees.”

“No need to ask her,” said Henry. “She doesn’t make the decisions.”

“Why is she packing then?” asked the dark-haired guy. “A girl who can’t make decisions shouldn’t be carrying a gun. What’s the logic in that?”

“What’s your question?” I asked. I loved Henry but I was eighteen now and didn’t need anyone making decisions for me. Heck, not even Bryce for that matter.

Henry shot me a look of anger and I knew the words in his head were going to get him plenty of “Hail Marys.”

“We need food and shelter,” said the red-haired guy. “Haven’t eaten in days and our truck is out of gas. We saw this church and figured anyone here would do right by us.”

“Do you have any weapons?” I asked.

Red nodded down toward the bat he was holding. “Got me a bat, don’t need anything more.”

“What about your friend?” asked Henry.

The dark-haired guy reached behind his back and pulled out a revolver.

“Whoa, put that on the ground, nice and easy,” warned Henry, raising his gun. “We don’t want any trouble.”

“Nor do we,” he answered, removing the bullets. “Look, I’ll let you keep this for me until we leave.”

“Let them in,” said Sister Francine, stepping around me. “The Lord wouldn’t want us turning anyone away.”

“Thank you, Sister,” said the dark-haired man. “Much obliged.”

Henry’s lips curled under. “Fine, then. Toss your gun to the ground and kick it under the gate. No funny business.”

“You all are a little paranoid,” he said, kicking his gun toward Henry. “But I guess I can appreciate that. The world is upside down right now and trust needs to be earned. Don’t worry, though. You have nothing to fear from us.” Then he glanced at me and I shivered. Although he was smiling, it didn’t quite reach his cold, dark eyes.

“You can probably keep your bat,” said Henry, stepping away from the gate. “Case any zombies make it into the church grounds.”

Sister Francine pulled out a set of keys and slid one of them into the gate. “Haven’t had any zombies make it through, Henry. God’s made sure of that.”

“So has that heavy-duty steel lock,” pointed Henry.

“It certainly helps,” she said, with a small smile.

Henry grabbed my arm and pulled me aside as the nun opened the gate. “Listen,” he whispered, staring warily at the men. “You and Nora keep a good distance from those two.”

“Yeah, sure.”

He raised his finger. “I mean it. See those tattoos under their eyes?”

I nodded.

“You get those teardrops in prison – when you’ve killed someone.”

My heart skipped a beat. “Oh, crap.”

“Oh crap is right. You stay close to Nora and the children. I’ll keep my eyes on these two. As you can see, they both have trouble written all over their faces.”

“Okay.”

“What’s your name, Sister?” asked the red-haired guy, as they stepped through the gate.

She smiled. “I’m Sister Francine. What are your names?”

“I’m Travis,” said Red. “And that’s Dwayne. Thank you for opening up your home to us, Sister Francine. Looks like someone is looking out for us, answered our prayers.”

“Their prayers? Pfft…rubbish,” whispered Henry as we followed them into the church. “Don’t like their slippery, smooth words.”

“I guess we’re not leaving yet,” I whispered back. “Not while they’re here.”

He scratched his whiskers. “Got that right, kid. In fact, something tells me the nuns were right about God having a plan,” he said. “And I believe that we may have just found out where he wants us right now.”

5

Allie and Kylie

“Kylie,” said Allie, shaking her. “Wake up.”

“What?” she asked, sitting up in the truck. Her eyes widened as she stared outside. “Oh, my God, Lincoln Park?”

Allie nodded. “Yeah, the guys left to go search for food inside of the zoo. We’re supposed to wait in the truck.”

“But, there’s must be a ton of zombies swarming around this area,” she said, looking out the window toward the zoo’s entrance. “Why would they risk it?”

“Maybe not,” said Allie. “There aren’t that many cars in the parking lot. Obviously, many people were too sick to visit the zoo before they changed.”

“Zombies, right there. See, I told you,” whispered Kylie, pointing toward the edge of the parking lot.

“Well, they’ve been hovering over there for the past few minutes and, Kylie, they can’t hear you,” said Allie. “You don’t have to whisper.”

“Still, they give me the creeps. What if they notice us?”

“Just get ready to roll up the window if they start moving any closer.”

It was hot, too hot to be sitting in a vehicle without air-conditioning, let alone with the windows rolled up. Because they were trying to save gasoline, Justice had forbidden them from using the air-conditioner. “The guys should be back here soon, anyway. They’ve already been gone for thirty minutes or so.”

“I wonder if any of the animals survived?”

Allie’s eyes softened. “If they did, they’re probably dying of hunger. Those poor creatures.”

Kylie stared at her in horror. “Oh, God, what if the zombies got to them?”

“Then they’re probably either dead or zombies themselves.”

Kylie bit her lower lip and looked back toward the entrance. “If they are zombies, let’s hope they can’t get out of their enclosures.”

Allie stared down at her nails, which were bitten all the way down to the skin. “Because they’re behind cages and glass walls, I’m sure the zombies never even got close to the animals.”

At least, she hoped.

***

“Jackpot,” smiled Luke.

They were in the zoo’s cafeteria, which, although smelled almost as bad as the animal cages, still had a large supply of snacks and bottled drinks.

“I can’t believe nobody has raided this place yet,” said Justice, looking around apprehensively. There was a lot of food and some of it was in large plastic containers, as if it may have been recently packed for travel. He clutched his gun tighter.

Luke ripped open a bag of miniature chocolate chip cookies and groaned in pleasure after stuffing a handful into his mouth. “Oh, man, you’ve got to –”

The sound of gunfire caused both of them to hit the ground.

“Where’d that come from?” whispered Luke.

In a crouched position, Justice moved toward the entrance, which led to a giant atrium. “Outside somewhere, not exactly sure how close. We’d better get the hell out of here.”

“But we can’t leave all this food behind,” he said, standing up and stuffing bags of Cheetos and popcorn down his shirt. “Who knows when we’ll get this lucky again.”

“I’d rather be hungry than dead,” said Justice, looking nervously out into the atrium, expecting someone to come crashing into the building with guns raised.

“These days, you’ll be both,” said Luke, moving next to him holding three packages of brownies.

More gunfire from outside of the building startled them once again, and Justice swore under his breath.

“We have to get to the girls,” said Luke.

“Yeah, I know. Follow me and stay close.”

They crept outside of the building and bolted toward the next building over for cover, as more gunfire exploded somewhere close by. Seconds later, they both heard a loud, deep roar.

“Whoa, did you hear that?” asked Luke.

He nodded.

A lion or tiger.

Sadly, most of the animals they’d come across had either died of neglect or zombie attacks. Obviously, a large cat that was still alive after three or four weeks could only mean that it was loose and catching its own food, or someone else was feeding it.

“Let’s get out of here,” said Justice, wiping sweat from his forehead as he tried not gag. The stench from the rotting dead animals was enough to make him forget about any hunger pangs.

Nodding, Luke wrinkled his nose. “Seriously, I didn’t think anything could smell this bad. Not even the zombies.”

Surprisingly, there hadn’t been many zombies at the zoo, and the few they’d encountered, Justice had swiftly taken out with the machete.

“Whoa,” said Luke, a few seconds later as they rounded the cat area.

“That’s messed up,” said Justice, looking down into the lion’s enclosure where several motionless zombies lay. It appeared that more than twenty undead had somehow thrown themselves into the lion’s den to feed, but instead, had met their own demise.

“Why doesn’t the lion finish off the bodies?” he asked, watching as a large male paced back and forth down below. “He must be starving.”

Justice shrugged. “He must sense they’re no longer warm, living creatures. Obviously he still killed them because he’s a predator.”

“I kind of feel bad for him,” said Luke. “He’s stuck down there, all alone.”

“Well, he’s been eating something to stay alive,” he answered, pointing toward a large white sign. “It says there were three lions, total – two females and one male. Looks like there’s only one lion in this den now.”

Luke grimaced. “He ate the others?”

His lips thinned. “Looks that way. Survival of the fittest.”

“He actually had to eat his mates,” he said in disbelief. “I’d rather die than do something like that.”

“He’s a wild animal, but who really knows what hunger will drive anyone or anything to do,” said Justice.

“I don’t care how hungry I get,” said Luke. “I’m not going after another person.”

Justice opened his mouth to respond when he noticed a group of three on the other side of the enclosure. Recognizing the two girls, all the blood rushed to his head. “Oh shit,” he said, pulling out his gun. “This is bad. Very bad.”

Even from this distance, they could hear both Kylie and Allie sobbing as the man motioned toward the lion’s den with his shotgun.

***

“No!” cried Kylie, as the older man commanded her to leap down into the lion’s enclosure. “Are you freaken’ crazy?”

“Jasper’s hungry,” said the man, raising his gun. “And I can’t let him starve.”

They’d been sitting in Justice’s truck when the stranger appeared out of nowhere. With his neatly combed hair, kind brown eyes, and a zookeeper badge proclaiming him to be “Darren”, they’d trusted him instantly and had gotten out of the truck. Then he pulled out a gun, and the next thing they knew, he was forcing them into the zoo because his lion needed nourishment.

“What’s wrong with you?” sobbed Allie. “How can you do this? Are you on drugs or something?” The goofy grin on his face was definitely not normal; in fact, it made the hair stand up on the back of her neck.

The man shook his head. “Drugs? No, not anymore.”

“Why… why are you doing this?” she asked again, relieved to see Justice creeping up slowly behind Darren.

“It’s my job. To feed the lions,” he said, smiling proudly. “Jasper needs to eat and I’m his caretaker.”

“We’re not lion food,” said Kylie.

The sound of Justice’s gun being cocked wiped the smiled off of Darren’s insane face.

“Put the gun down,” said Justice, holding the barrel of his revolver against the back of the man’s head.

The man’s lip began to tremble. “I… but Jasper… he needs to eat.”

“He’s going to have to skip this feeding,” said Justice in an even tone. “Now, put the gun down, man, unless you want to be his next meal. I’m sure Jasper isn’t that picky.”

He dropped the gun.

Justice pushed him away from the gun and picked it up.

Kylie let out a ragged breath. “Thank God. I still can’t believe you were going to feed us to that lion. You’re almost as bad as those zombies.”

Darren just stared blankly.

“Are you the only one here?” asked Justice, handing Luke the gun.

The man ignored him.

“What about those gunshots we heard?” asked Luke. “There must be someone else around.”

“It was probably just him,” said Allie. “He shot the gun up into the air a few times when we first refused to go with him.”

“Hmm… Do you live here at the zoo, Darren?” asked Justice.

The man nodded. “Yes. I have to take care of Jasper.”

“Yeah, we get that. Why don’t you feed him something besides people?” asked Luke.

“There is nothing else,” he answered, “and lions need meat to survive.”

“What about the zombies?” asked Kylie. “Can’t you just feed them to Jasper?”

“No… no… no…. Jasper doesn’t like the dead people,” he said. “Jasper likes the warm blood.”

“That’s sick,” whispered Kylie, stepping farther away from him.

“Speaking of zombies,” said Luke, “looks like we have company.”

Two very gaunt and very naked zombies stumbled toward them, moaning and foaming green from their slackened mouths.

“I’ll take care of these two, just keep an eye on him,” said Justice.

Luke raised the gun and pointed it at Darren as Justice removed the machete from his belt and stalked off toward the zombies.

Allie looked away as Justice swung the machete twice with ease and the two heads tumbled to the ground.

“Hey!” yelled Luke as Darren took a few steps and then bolted away. “Crap, let’s go get him!”

“No, just let him go,” said Justice, wiping his knife on his jeans. “Don’t waste any bullets on that weirdo.”

“That’s gross,” said Kylie, looking at Justice’s jeans. “Now you have zombie juice all over you.”

Justice shrugged. “I need to change anyway. Got an extra pair in the truck.”

Jasper began to roar again and they all turned toward the lion, who was pacing down below in the grass.

“The poor thing,” said Kylie, peering over the edge of the wall, “he’s all alone down there.”

“It’s so sad,” said Allie, “and the only person he has left to care for him is a raving lunatic.”

“I wonder if we can set him free somehow,” said Kylie. “At least he’d have a better chance at surviving that way.”

Justice snorted. “Set him free? Like that would work out.”

“Yeah, maybe we should set him free, so he’ll take out more zombies,” said Allie, pointing toward the bodies below. “Look how he finished those off.”

“You’re kidding, right?” asked Justice. “Not only would he take out more zombies, but us and everyone else who crosses his path. He’s not a tame animal –
he’s a ferocious killing machine.”

“We could find one of those lion whips,” said Allie, ignoring him. “And maybe we could actually train him to kill zombies. That would be so cool!”

“I doubt they’d have whips here. That’s what they use at carnivals, you know, for tricks,” said Kylie. “Besides, that’s cruel. I could never whip a lion.”

Justice shut his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Girls, we really have to –”

Allie grabbed her wrist. “Oh, my God, remember that time we saw Billy Jameson at the carnival with that tattooed chic and they were slobbering all over each other?”

Kylie laughed. “She had on those super-tight jeans and when she bent over, you could see the thong riding up her crack.”

“That was so gross,” said Allie. “Everything about her was sleazy.”

Kylie smiled. “You’re just saying that because you liked Billy.”

Her eyes widened. “I did not like Billy!”

Jasper roared again from his prison.

“Aw… he sounds so sad,” said Kylie, a sad look on her face. “And lonely.”

“Lonely? Well, that’s because he got rid of his two girlfriends,” stated Luke.

Allie’s eyebrows shot up. “What do you mean?”

“I guess they were jabbering away and just wouldn’t shut up. Old Jasper must have decided he’d had enough,” said Luke, with a sly grin. “So he ate them.”

Kylie covered her mouth in horror. “That’s horrible.”

“Oh, I don’t know,” chuckled Justice as he began to walk away. “He ended up with food and silence. I don’t know about you, Luke, but I’m almost envying old Jasper right now.”

Kylie glared at Luke when he started laughing. “You actually think that’s funny?”

“Little bit,” he said, trying to wipe the smile from his face.

“So, um, did you guys find any food?” asked Allie as she hurried to catch up to Justice.

Justice pointed back to Luke.

“Oh yeah,” said Luke, reaching into his shirt. He pulled out a sweaty brownie package and handed it to her. “Knock yourself out.”

“Er… thanks,” she said.

“Well, obviously we’re going to need more than this,” said Kylie as he handed her one, too.

“I’ve got some chips and popcorn, too. But, there’s more in the cafeteria,” said Luke. “I think we should go back and load up.”

Justice shook his head. “No, I have a better idea – let’s just get the hell out of here. Try our luck somewhere else.”

“But we really need that food,” said Luke, as his stomach rumbled, loudly. “My stomach is beginning to sound like Jasper.”

“Jeez,” said Allie. “Here, you can have the brownie back.”

“Thanks. Justice, seriously, let’s just grab one of those containers of food that was already packed and leave. We might not find anything else for a long time. The stuff in the cafeteria is ready to go and it would be foolish to leave here without anything.”

“Fine,” said Justice, changing course, “but keep your eye open for that wacko.”

“Don’t worry,” he said, opening up one of the brownies, “my eyes are peeled for creepy guy.”

The zoo was hot and eerily quiet, except for the constant buzzing of flies on dead carcasses as they made their way back to the cafeteria. Justice went in first with his gun raised and the other three followed close behind.

“It’s clear,” he said, lowering the revolver. “Grab what you can and then let’s bolt.”

“Oh, my God,” said Allie. Squealing, she pulled out a candy bar and ripped it open. “You were just going to leave all of this stuff behind?”

Justice didn’t say anything. He walked back to the door and stared outside.

Kids.

It was obvious to him that he was the only one who realized how dangerous their current situation actually was. Not only did they have zombies to worry about, but now they had that lunatic, Darren. From the way the guy acted, it was clear that whatever drugs he’d stopped taking, had unleashed some kind of madness.

Just like Jimmy.

His stepfather.

Jimmy had been diagnosed with schizophrenia only two years ago, but the family had lived with the psychosis for over fourteen. It wasn’t until Jimmy’s sister had been diagnosed with the same condition that their mother had finally reached out for help and gotten him the medication he’d needed. Before that, she’d always blamed his irrational behavior and outbursts on the ‘Vietnam War.’

“I’m sure it’s the flashbacks from the war, again,” she’d say, after Jimmy had one of his episodes or nervous breakdowns, which were very sporadic. Sometimes he believed he was being watched by the government, and other times he wouldn’t leave his bed for days. “We just need to be patient with him.”

But it was hard to be patient with someone who took it upon himself to train children on how to survive the monsters lurking in the back of Jimmy’s warped mind.

“You need to learn how to use a knife,” he’d said when Justice turned eight.

Because Jimmy couldn’t hold down a job, both Justice and his younger sister were left alone with him during the day while their mother had worked two jobs.

“No, please,” he’d begged, horrified at the idea.

Jimmy had raised his finger. “Don’t be a baby, Justice. Now, I’m going to throw this knife at you and you’re going to catch it.”

“Please, Jimmy, I can’t! It’s going to cut me!”

“Not if you catch it like I showed you. Now get ready.”

“But why do I have to learn this?” he’d asked, scared shitless of the gleaming blade in Jimmy’s hand.

“Because, that’s what bad guys do!” he’d growled. “They throw knives at you and try to kill you. But you’re going to be a survivor, boy. I’m going to teach you what my daddy never did, or your daddy for that matter. Now, pay attention and stop your sniveling.”

And so they’d spent hours going over techniques that Jimmy promised would help him survive, should he ever get jumped by thugs or need to survive in a war. Oddly enough, all of the drills and combat training he’d forced upon him had helped Justice stay alive after the zombies showed up.

Unfortunately, Jimmy, who was one tough son-of-a-bitch, hadn’t survived the effects of the vaccine. He’d turned into a zombie and Justice had been forced to kill him. It had been one of the hardest things he’d ever had to do, because deep down, he’d loved the man.

“You want a candy bar?” asked Allie, holding one out. “Chocolate makes everything a little better.”

If only it were really so.

He smiled and shook his head.

Justice watched Allie and Kylie, and hoped he could keep all of them safe. They were still just a couple of naïve little girls, even through all of this mess. In a way, both of them reminded him of his younger stepsister, Amy, a little girl of eleven who’d wanted nothing more than to laugh and have fun. And she had, until Jimmy had turned into a zombie and had taken the lives of both his sister and mother. Jimmy had been the only one in the family to get the vaccine and the only one who’d died without fear. He could only imagine the complete horror his mother and sister must have felt when Jimmy had gone after them. Before Justice had gotten the chance to save either of them.

He blinked back tears and tried pushing the image of his mother’s and sister’s glossy blond hair and lifeless blue eyes out of his head, but it was difficult. He’d never forget finding them mutilated at the hands of Jimmy, who, ironically, had been the monster he’d taught Justice to defeat.

“Justice, you okay?” asked Luke, stuffing more food into a container that was already overloaded.

He wiped his eyes quickly. “Yeah, just got some dust in my eyes or something.”

“We’ve got what we need,” he said, picking up the container with both hands. His face turned noticeably redder from the straining weight. “I’ve got this one.”

“I’ll cover you, but we need to move fast,” said Justice. “You sure you can carry that?”

“Yeah,” he croaked. “Let’s go.”

“We’ve got some water,” said Allie, struggling with a box filled with plastic bottles. “And I found a few diet sodas.”

“Give me some of those,” said Kylie, reaching inside. “You’re going to drop that box.”

“Thanks,” she said. “It was a little too heavy.”

“Are we about ready?” asked Justice.

“Yeah, why don’t you make yourself useful and carry something?” asked Allie. “Like those paper towels.”

Justice grabbed a roll that was sitting on the counter, and slid it down into his tank top. “Okay, let’s go.”

Thunder echoed in the distance as they moved to the door. Stepping outside, they noticed that the skies were now ominously dark.

“Looks like a storm is brewing,” said Luke, glancing up as lightning flashed across the sky.

“Maybe we should hang out here until it passes,” said Kylie. The clouds were moving quickly and the last place she wanted to be was in Justice’s truck if there was a tornado.

“No,” said Justice, feeling the hair stand up on the back of his neck. It was much too quiet outside, like an eerie calm before the storm. “This place isn’t safe,” he said, looking around. “I’d rather be on the road than stuck here. Besides, we need to get back to the truck, make sure Darren didn’t screw with it. Let’s keep moving.”

“Oh, my God,” said Kylie, turning to her friend as Justice began walking away. “Allie, do you still have the keys?”

Allie’s face paled and she shook her head. “I… um… left them in the truck.”

“In the ignition?” asked Justice, stopping dead in his tracks. He turned around. “Seriously?”

She bit the side of her lip and nodded. “Well… yeah.”

He sighed.

Just then, Allie’s face paled in horror as she stared past Luke, toward the women’s restroom. Before Luke could turn his head, shots rang out and he dropped the container.

“Luke!” screamed Allie, dropping the box of bottles and scurrying toward him as he fell forward.

“Oh, my God,” choked Kylie, covering her mouth.

They all stared at him in horror; it was obvious from the large bloody chest wound, that he was already gone.

“Oh,” giggled Darren, who was standing behind a dumpster less than twenty feet away, a shotgun in his hands. “Guess he’s staying.”

Filled with rage, Justice raised his gun as he moved toward Darren and began firing, wiping the maniacal smile from his face forever.

“Luke,” sobbed Allie, kneeling next to his lifeless form. She touched his cheek and moaned in grief. “Oh, my God, you can’t leave us!”

Justice knelt down and examined the wound. “Yeah, he’s gone,” he said, his voice thick.

6

Cassie

“Have you killed any of the monsters?” asked the child.

I’d been helping Sister Theresa feed the children peanut butter and crackers in the courtyard when the little girl asked me. She’d been sitting alone, clutching one of those American Girl Dolls like she was afraid it would disappear from her life, like everything else.

“Zombies?” I asked, not knowing exactly how to respond to that kind of question from such a young child. She reminded me of Allie when she was younger, with her light hair and dimples. Unfortunately, her hazel eyes were filled with a haunted sadness that made me want to cry.

She nodded.

“Yes, a few.”

She clutched her doll tight against her chest. “Good.”

“What’s your name?” I asked.

“Kallie,” she said, a shy smile spreading across her face.

“I’m Cassie,” I said. “Do you have any brothers or sisters here with you?”

Her eyes welled up with tears. “No,” she whispered.

She was obviously devastated and I was a complete moron for reminding her of what she’d probably lost.

How could I be so damn stupid?

Obviously she was alone.

“Oh,” I said, sitting down next to her at the picnic table. I put my arm around her. “I’m so sorry, Kallie.”

She wiped a tear from her cheek. “The zombies got my mommy.”

“It hurts a lot to lose your mommy. I know because mine is gone, too,” I said. “But you know what? I’d bet anything that they are both watching us right now in Heaven and smiling.”

She looked up at me. “How do you know?”

“Because a little voice inside of me said that if I hugged you, we’d both feel better. I don’t know about you, but I certainly feel much better now. In fact, I’m beginning to think that hug was actually from your mom.”

She tilted her head, thinking about this and then her face brightened. “You’re right. And that hug that I gave you was from your mom!”

“That’s right. Oh, wait,” I said, putting my arm around her and pulling her close. “I feel like giving you another hug. It must be your mom again.”

She closed her eyes. “I miss you, mom,” she whispered.

I smoothed her hair down and kissed the top of her head. “I’m sure that she misses you, too.”

“Is that cute little girl yours?”

I stiffened.

Dwayne.

I ignored him and released Kallie. “Why don’t you go and look for Nora? I think she’s handing out water.”

Kallie stood up and eyed Dwayne warily. “Okay.”

“You look a little young to be a mother,” he said as she scampered away.

“That’s because I am too young to be a mother,” I answered coolly.

His eyes swept over my body and I wished I had more clothes covering me. Because of the heat, my usual attire was a tank top and jean shorts. “What are you, twenty?”

“Eighteen,” I said, raising my chin.

He smiled wickedly. “You’re still legal.”

“I’m legal but it doesn’t make me available,” I said, trying not to flinch as the pig’s eyes traveled over my body a second time.

“She’s also engaged,” said Nora, who appeared beside me. “To a martial artist who could take you out with the tip of his finger if he really wanted to.”

He looked amused more than anything. “A real tough guy, huh?”

I nodded. “Yes, but I don’t need anyone’s protection. I can take care of myself.”

He put his foot on the bench and leaned against his knee. “I suppose you can, if you’ve survived this long. Truth is, I’m not a threat, so you can both just relax.”

“Everyone’s a threat,” said Nora.

“Why do you say that?” he asked.

“Because we’ve both had our share of trouble in the last few weeks and they also tried giving us the same line of bullshit,” said Nora.

His eyes narrowed. “Oh, is that right?”

“Yep,” she smiled coldly. “Neither of us are naïve, defenseless, or stupid. So you can save yourself a lot of embarrassment and pain by taking what you need for food, and be on your way.”

Dwayne reached into his pocket and took out a pack of cigarettes. “I think you have me all wrong.”

“Maybe, but I don’t really give a shit one way or the other. You’ve obviously been in prison and that tat near your eye, which you’re proudly displaying, speaks volumes. So, if you think you’re going to pull any wool over our eyes, you’re wasting your time.”

“I got that tattoo when I defended myself in prison.”

“It’s one thing to defend yourself; it’s another thing to go bragging about killing someone using a tattoo, Dwayne,” I said. “By the way, smoking isn’t permitted in the courtyard.”

He stared at me for a few seconds and then put the cigarette pack back into his pocket. “Can’t believe I’m letting a couple of little girls like you bust my balls,” he sighed.

“We haven’t even started,” muttered Nora as he turned and walked away.

“He gives me the creeps,” I said.

She nodded. “Me, too. He’s obviously dangerous. I just hope those tards leave soon, so we can get the heck out of here and back to Minnesota. I feel like we’re wasting too much time here.”

“I know,” I said. Besides wanting to find my grandparents, my heart ached for Bryce along with the others. I just wanted to finish this mission and get back to the hotel. “But Henry is afraid those two men are a major threat to the nuns. We can’t leave until they’re gone.”

“Well, they’d better be gone by tomorrow or I’m going to run their asses out of here myself,” said Nora, her jaw set. “And I’m serious, Wild.”

I wasn’t sure how she’d do it, but there was no doubt in my mind that she would. “I understand.”

That night we slept on the floor of the church with the children, taking shifts to watch over everyone. Since both men had been in prison, we didn’t trust any of the kids alone with the strangers. Henry volunteered for the first shift, me for the second, and Nora for the final. When it was my turn, I wrapped a blanket around myself and hunkered down on a pew with the gun hidden underneath.

“Keep your eyes on those two,” whispered Henry as we stared at the two sleeping men. “I trust them about as much as your lead foot.”

I smiled and shook my head.

He smiled back and then his face became serious again. “Don’t let them get you alone, Wild. I know you’re good with those karate moves and everything, but those two are giants compared to you. It wouldn’t be too hard for them to pin you down and hurt you.”

I pushed the horrifying image away. “I’ll be fine.”

His lips thinned. “I’m serious. You didn’t see the way that dark-haired fella’s been eyeballing you. For all we know he could have went to prison for rape.”

My stomach clenched. I hadn’t even thought of that. “Well, one of them tries raping me, he won’t live long enough to unzip his fly.”

He chuckled. “I’m sure he won’t. Just remember, though, keep your guard up.”

“I hear you.”

Henry walked to the back of the church, lay down on a pew with the pillow one of the nuns had given him, and within seconds was snoring so loud, I could hear him from where I was sitting.

Sighing, I stood up and stretched my legs, then walked over to where everyone was sleeping to check on things. It was early into the next morning and the children, all fifty-eight, appeared asleep. Two of the other nuns were also snuggling with some of the smaller kids as they slept.

“If you’re tired,” said Dwayne, who was sitting against one of the walls, watching me intently, “I can keep an eye on the kids for you.”

“No thanks,” I said.

His eyes narrowed. “You’re just a young girl yourself. You shouldn’t have this kind of responsibility.”

“I don’t mind.”

“Well,” he said, standing up. “I’ve got to go and relieve myself. I’ll be back soon.”

I nodded and watched him as he walked toward the exit. “Hey, there’s a bathroom in the church.”

“I’ll go outside. I need a smoke anyway.”

I watched as he stepped outside of the sanctuary, feeling uneasy. I didn’t particularly like him wandering around where I couldn’t see him.

“Cassie?”

I turned and found Kallie standing next to me, rubbing her eyes.

“Hi, honey. What do you need?”

“I have to go to the bathroom.”

“Oh, well, okay,” I said. I stood up and walked over to Nora, shaking her gently.

“My turn already?” she mumbled.

“No, I just have to take one of the kids to the bathroom. Can you keep an eye on the others while I do that?”

She said up and yawned. “Sure.”

“Thanks.”

Nora’s eyes narrowed as she looked around. “Where’s Dweeb?”

“Dwayne? He stepped outside for a smoke.”

She sighed. “Great. Well, hurry back. Looks like I still have a couple of hours to sleep until it’s my turn.”

“Yeah, I know. Sorry.”

“Hey, little girl needs to pee, she needs to pee,” she said, smiling at Kallie.

“We’ll be right back.”

I grabbed a flashlight and took Kallie’s hand in mine. We walked out of the sanctuary into the hallway leading to the bathrooms.

“Do you need any help?” I asked as we stopped outside of the small bathroom.

“No, but it’s too dark to see anything,” she said.

I handed her the flashlight, grateful that there were a couple of lit candles in the hallway so I wouldn’t have to wait in complete darkness. “I’ll wait out here.”

“Okay.”

She closed the door and I leaned against the opposite wall with my arms crossed, my mind wandering back to Bryce once again. I smiled as I imagined him tucking Bobby into bed, maybe reading him a story. Then I felt guilty for leaving my little sister the way that I did and sighed. She was definitely going to freak out on me when I made it back to Atlanta.

A loud crash from one of the rooms down the hallway made me jump. It sounded like glass shattering.

Crap.

Swallowing back a wave of fear, I tightened the grip on my gun and began walking down the long, cool hallway, which seemed more ominous with every step.

“Hello?” I called, raising the gun in front of me.

Nobody answered and I had to force myself to keep moving.

Maybe it was a cat?

I’d seen a couple of them prowling around the hallways earlier.

“Here, kitty!” I whispered loudly.

The sound of books or something heavy being dropped onto a hardwood floor stopped me cold.

“Sister Theresa?”

Silence.

With my heart hammering in my chest, I willed myself forward until I stood outside the room where I thought I’d heard the noise. It was dark, but from the shadows in the room, it appeared to be an office.

“Hello?” I whispered, trying to adjust my eyes to the darkness.

I heard the creak from the bathroom door opening back up and turned to see Kallie stepping back out into the hallway. “Cassie?” she called.

“I’m down here,” I said, lowering the gun.

She aimed her flashlight at me and then let out a shrill scream.

Before I could turn around to see what had frightened her, someone grabbed me around the waist and clamped a hand tightly over my mouth.

7

Bryce

The rain and hail pelted the SUV loudly as they drove to the other side of town, trying to locate Cassie’s grandparents’ home.

“Turn right at the next street,” ordered Kristie, staring at the roadmap. “We should be passing a lake soon, and then they’re only a few blocks from there.”

“I can barely see the streets,” said Tiny, turning up the windshield wipers. He leaned forward and squinted. “It’s pretty bad and I don’t want to hit any more zombies in this thing. Maybe we should pull over until the rain dies down?”

“Nah, we’re almost there,” said Kristie, biting the side of her nail. “So just keep driving.”

“At least the rain is normal,” said Paige, staring out the window. “Nothing to indicate that it’s the ‘End of the World.’ Thanks, by the way, Tiny.”

“What do you mean?” he asked.

“Scaring the heck out of everyone by talking about the ‘End of the World.’ I’m not ready for that. I mean, seriously, I haven’t made it to college yet, partied until I’ve puked my guts out, or even made it past third base with a guy. I’m only eighteen and have too much living to do before actually dying.”

“Seriously,” said Bryce. “That’s your ‘Bucket List’?”

Paige raised her eyebrows. “What’s a Bucket List?”

“The list of things you want to accomplish before you kick the bucket and die,” he said.

“Obviously you’ve already marked at least one of those off of yours, Romeo,” smirked Paige. “But maybe I’d like to sleep next to a toilet one night, making promises I won’t keep or… reject scary, drunk-assed men who hit on me at a bar. Hell, even to feel the euphoria of getting a single line on a pregnancy strip before I find the real Mr. Right. There are just too many things I want to do in life before I die.”

Kristie closed her eyes and rubbed the area between her eyebrows. “Thank you, Lord, for making my children so dramatic, cynical, and stubborn. If mom was here, I’m sure she’d say ‘paybacks are a bitch, Kristie’.”

Paige leaned forward and patted her on the shoulder. “Hey, you set the standards. I’m just trying to say that I want to enjoy at least the same things in life that you have before I leave this place.”

“Okay, fine, I plead the fifth,” said Kristie, with a humorless smile. “But seriously, honey, you should strive for better. You know, learn by your parents’ mistakes.”

“Yeah, but I’ll bet you had a lot of fun making those mistakes,” interrupted Tiny.

Kristie’s jaw dropped and she punched his shoulder. “You are not helping. I’m supposed to be setting examples.”

“Mom, it doesn’t matter anyway. I’m an adult now and can make my own decisions – zombie apocalypse or not.”

“Well,” said Billie. “You’ve certainly earned your right after everything we’ve been through. Hell, we all have.”

“You got that right, brother,” said Tiny.

They drove for a while in silence, listening to the echoing thumps from the hail mixed with occasional cracks of thunder. When they reached the lake on the map, Tiny swore and slammed on the brakes.

“What?” gasped Kristie, gripping the dashboard.

Tiny pointed ahead toward the beach. “Tell me I’m wrong, but doesn’t the water look pink?”

“Pink? No, that’s ridiculous,” said Kristie, trying to see through the wipers and drizzling rain.

Tiny put his foot on the gas and drove into the parking lot leading to Willow Lake’s Public Beach. He then drove over the grass to the edge of the sandy beach.

“Well, yeah, it does look like an odd color,” said Billie.

Tiny grabbed an empty glass from the cup-holder and opened the door. “I’m going to check it out,” he said, jumping out into the rain. “Hold tight.”

“Is this really necessary?” asked Kristie.

“I’ll be back,” he said, slamming the door. He then sprinted through the sand to the end of the beach and filled the glass with lake water. When he returned to the SUV, they all stared in horror at the contents of it.

“It is pink,” said Paige in a strangled tone. “What does it mean?”

Tiny wiped the rain from his forehead. “I don’t know.”

“Relax, you guys. It could be a number of things,” said Bryce. “Bacteria growing in the water, too much iron, dead fish, or even zombie contamination. Don’t jump to conclusions.”

Paige shook her head. “No, first the ground shaking because of an earthquake, now the water turning red! That’s too much of a coincidence. This is it, we’re all screwed.”

“It’s pink, not red, Paige,” said Kristie.

“Your mother and Bryce are probably right,” said Billie. “Let’s keep trying to track the others and then we’ll worry about pink water and quakes.”

“Exactly,” said Kristie.

“Okay,” said Tiny, restarting the engine. “I know one thing for certain; we need to start searching the homes around here for bottled water. If the water is contaminated, we don’t want to get near it.”

“Whoa, check that out,” said Kristie, pointing ahead.

Two rain-drenched zombies staggered toward the lake and everyone watched in fascination as they entered it.

“Weird,” said Paige.

“Check it out, it’s going to be over their heads soon,” smirked Bryce, as the zombies stepped deeper. “Wonder if they’ll float or sink?”

“Oh, my God!” gasped Kristie. “What in the hell are those idiots doing?”

Paige chuckled. “Fishing? Maybe they’ve figured out another way to eat.”

“Maybe they’re drawn to the water because of something else,” murmured Billie.

“What do you mean?” asked Kristie, turning to look back at him. “I thought zombies were drawn to living flesh. You know, brains and all that.”

“And blood,” he said, smiling humorlessly. “Obviously, they’re drawn to blood.”

Kristie’s face turned white.

8

Allie and Kylie

They drove through two hours of hard and steady rain in silence until they passed a sign welcoming them to Rockford, Illinois.

“Just in time. We need gas,” said Justice, breaking the somber mood in the truck.

“And I have to go to the bathroom,” sighed Allie, who sat in the middle.

“Me, too,” said Kylie, staring out the passenger window.

“It’s going to be dark soon,” said Justice. “Let’s see if we can find a full parking lot and a toilet.”

“And no zombies,” said Allie.

“Big city like this is gonna have plenty of those,” said Justice. “This is won’t be easy.”

“So, um, how much longer until we get to Minnesota?” asked Allie, biting the side of her nail.

He shrugged. “I don’t know, we’re still quite a few hours away. Maybe six or seven?”

“I hope my sister is okay,” said Allie.

“You know, she is going to kill you when she sees you,” said Kylie.

“I’m the one who should be mad,” she answered, her jaw set. “She left without even telling me, and now that our parents are gone, we need to stick together.”

“Did you lose them to the zombies?” asked Justice.

“No. A really bad man killed them. Shot them when they were trying to save my sister.”

“There are a lot of dangerous characters out there,” said Justice. “Look at what happened to Luke.”

“You know… it’s all my fault,” said Allie, her eyes misting up. “I shouldn’t have asked him to come with us. Now he’s dead and it’s my fault.”

“Obviously it was his choice to tag along,” said Justice. “And don’t go blaming yourself for the acts of a psychopath. The guy was obviously messed up.”

“I still feel horrible,” said Allie. “And what am I going to tell Bryce when he finds out? They were so close.”

“Forget about Bryce, Belinda is going to be the one who will be really upset. That’s her nephew.”

Allie shook her head. “No, it’s not. Bryce just told her that so Belinda wouldn’t shoot him. That’s what Cassie told me.”

“Okay, you girls are confusing the hell out of me,” said Justice. “How many people have you had trying to shoot at you?”

“Too many to count,” said Allie. She then told him their story, from the very beginning, starting with the first day of the zombie outbreak.

“And I thought the undead were dangerous,” said Justice. “You guys have been through a lot of shit, especially your sister. I guess if she can handle being kidnapped a few times, getting bitten by a zombie, and watching her parents murdered, she’s probably doing all right at the moment. Sounds like a tough chic.”

“I hope she’s doing all right,” said Allie.

“So, what’s your story?” asked Kylie.

He shrugged. “It’s pretty boring compared to yours.”

“I doubt it,” she answered. “You can tell us if you want. Did you lose a lot of friends and family?”

He rubbed a hand over his face and sighed. “Well, I’ve always been kind of a loner, so I didn’t lose many friends, just acquaintances and, well, my family.”

“What about a girlfriend?” asked Allie, her cheeks growing warm.

He smiled grimly. “I lost my girlfriend long before the zombies showed up.”

“What do you mean?” she asked.

He paused for a few seconds and then answered. “Well, she left for college last fall and decided she didn’t want a long-distance relationship. End of story.”

“Aw... were you heartbroken?” asked Allie, putting a hand over her chest.

His jaw tightened. “Heartbroken? No. She was too pushy. Always trying to change me and everything.”

Allie raised her eyebrows. “Like… how?”

He shrugged. “Guess she wasn’t crazy about the way I presented myself to other people or the fact that I wasn’t interested in college. She probably thought I was white trash, since she grew up on the other side of the tracks. Her parents certainly thought the worst of me.”

Kylie gasped. “Oh, my God, did they actually tell you that?”

“They didn’t have to. I could see it in their eyes and the way they spoke to me. I’m sure they were relieved when Lexus went to college and I stayed in Georgia.”

“Lexus?” snorted Allie.

He smiled.

“Do you know if she’s still alive?” asked Kylie.

“Nope.”

“I had a boyfriend before the zombies,” said Kylie.

Allie’s jaw dropped. “What?! Who?”

“Well, he wasn’t my boyfriend, yet, but I know he liked me. He slipped me a note in class one day, asking if I had picked out a date for the Sadie Hawkins Dance.”

“But the Sadie Hawkins Dance isn’t until the eighth grade,” said Allie. “That’s like, next year.”

“That’s how I know he liked me,” smiled Kylie. “He was already reserving a spot.”

“Who was it?” asked Allie.

“Jason Peterson,” said Kylie.

Justice’s mind drifted away as the girls droned on about boys and dances they’d never get to enjoy. Although he’d been bitter about Lexus for months after their breakup, at least his high school years had been interesting. Unfortunately, the two girls beside him wouldn’t ever get to go to dances, parties, or school sporting events. Everything in the world had changed, nothing would ever be the same for them and he suddenly felt very fortunate.

“Oh crap,” said Allie, pointing ahead, as they reached downtown Rockford. “Looks like we’ve found where all of the zombies have congregated.”

“Roll up your window the rest of the way,” ordered Justice.

The streets and sidewalks were crowded with zombies in every shape, form, and decomposition. Hundreds staggered through the rain, searching for food.

“You’d think the water would clean them up a bit,” said Kylie, “make them appear less… gruesome. I don’t know about you, but I think they look even more gross and disgusting wet. Especially the ones who are missing so much skin and body parts.” She shuddered. “Yuck.”

“They’re pretty nasty,” agreed Allie.

Justice tapped on the fuel gage. “If we don’t find a way to fill up this tank soon, you’re going to be getting a much closer view of these freaks.”

Kylie paled. “What are we going to do?”

“Look for a parking ramp that’s full and easily accessible,” said Justice.

“Okay,” said Allie.

Justice drove slowly through the downtown streets, trying to weave around the massive crowds of undead. When one of them walked directly into their path, he was forced to stop.

“Run him over,” said Allie, as the horrible creature stared into the cab and began growling.

“You shouldn’t do that,” said Kylie, growing paler still. “It’s still a person.”

“No,” said Justice. “What made them a real person has ‘left the building’.”

“But how do you really know that?” she asked. “Maybe they’re still buried inside somewhere.”

Allie’s eyebrows shot up. “Oh, come on, Kylie! Look at that beast in front of us. He’s walking with half of a skull and a missing arm. If he’s buried inside of that thing, then he’ll probably thank us if we put him out of his misery.”

The zombie began climbing onto the front of the hood, foaming at the mouth as it stared at them with rapture.

“Oh, my God!” squealed Allie as the zombie crawled clumsily to the windshield and began licking the glass with its split tongue.

“What’s wrong with his tongue?” cried Kylie.

“The forking? It’s called bifurcation. It’s a surgical procedure that splits the tongue,” said Justice. “He obviously had it done before becoming a zombie.”

Allie grimaced. “Seriously, he had that done on purpose? So he could look like a lizard?”

Justice laughed. “Yep.”

More zombies took notice of them and began surrounding the truck, scratching at the windows and growling loudly.

“Oh, that is so totally gross,” shuddered Kylie as another zombie stopped next to her window, his left eyeball barely hanging by thin, gray tendrils of flesh. The zombie opened its mouth and planted its wormy lips against the glass, as if kissing it passionately.

“Okay, that’s it!” hollered Allie. “Justice, please take us out of here.”

“Are you sure?” he said, glancing at Kylie, who looked like she was ready to hurl.

Allie nodded, vehemently. “Just get us out of here, now.”

He stepped on the gas, tossing the zombie from the hood and hitting several others along the way. Unfortunately, as they moved into the next block, the “fuel” light popped on.

“Shit!” he groaned. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“What…. what does that mean?” asked Allie.

He turned to her. “It means that we’re screwed unless we find fuel. Right now.”

“There’s a ‘Park’ sign over there,” said Kylie, pointing to the next street. “It looks like a ramp. We just have to make it to that building.”

“Okay, yeah… we’ll make that,” said Justice. “Good eye, kid.”

As they entered the next street, however, more zombies stepped into their path, slowing their progress even further. When they finally reached the parking ramp, Justice swore again.

“What?” asked Kylie. “We made it.”

“The steering wheel is starting locking up,” said Justice. “Yeah, we made it, but there’s no way we’re going any further.”

They coasted into the entrance and stopped right as they reached the parking-ticket dispenser.

“The gate is blocking our path,” moaned Allie. “And obviously there’s no power to lift it.”

“I was going to try crashing through it,” said Justice. “But we’ve just used the last of the fuel. Looks like we’re abandoning this thing.”

“How are we going to do that?!” yelled Kylie as zombies began rushing the truck from behind, climbing into the bed and surrounding them on all sides.

Justice’s head was spinning as he noticed an old, bald zombie who reminded him of Gollum from Lord of the Rings, especially when he opened his mouth and exposed several rotted teeth. As the zombie put his face against the glass and stared at him with longing, he felt the hair stand up on the back of his neck.

Precious…

“We have to get the hell out of here before more of these things show up,” he said, turning away from the transfixed zombie. “I’m going to distract them and then you two are going to run.”

“Run? Where?” asked Allie.

“Get to the very top of the ramp,” he said. “The roof. I’ll meet you both there.”

“Why don’t we try the elevators first? There’s usually a door separating the elevators and the garage.”

“You forget. There’s probably no electricity for the elevators. We’ll just get trapped inside with zombies surrounding us. Just meet me at the top of the ramp and we’ll try to locate another vehicle.”

“What if they get you?” cried Kylie, her lips trembling.

“I won’t let them.”

“But…”

“Kylie, I’ll be fine,” he said, grabbing her hand. “Don’t worry about me. Just get to the top of the ramp and hide until I meet you both there.”

She nodded reluctantly. “Okay.”

He reached under the seat and pulled out Luke’s bat. “Take this with, just in case. And here,” he said, opening up the glove compartment. He pulled out a large hunting knife with a black handle. “I almost forgot about this.”

“I can’t use that,” said Kylie as he handed the knife to her.

“You will if you need to, unless you want to die,” said Justice, handing the bat to Allie. “Now, get ready to run as soon as the zombies start chasing me.”

“What are you going to use to defend yourself?” asked Kylie.

“My gun and I still have the machete,” he said, pointing toward the bed of the truck which was now completely filled with zombies. “I just have to get to it.”

“How are you going to get out of the truck?” asked Allie, staring at the group of zombies pawing at the windows. “There’s, like, over twenty of those freaks out there.”

He pulled out his revolver and unlocked the door. “Like this,” he said, slamming the door into the Gollum-zombie, knocking him backwards. “The roof!” he yelled, clamoring out of the trunk and slamming the door.

The girls watched as Justice shot Gollum-zombie and then two more.

“Look out!” shrieked Allie, as more zombies advanced toward him as he reached for the machete.

“I can’t watch,” gasped Kylie, covering her eyes.

Raising the machete, Justice began swinging and moving away from the vehicle while the zombies followed.

“Okay,” said Allie, when the zombies had moved far enough away. “We should go, before they come back.”

Sighing, Kylie unlocked the passenger side door and they both slipped out of the truck on that side.

“Oh, my God,” whispered Kylie, as they crouched down. “More of them.”

Three zombies had entered the parking lot with their noses in the air, sniffing. It didn’t take them long before they noticed the commotion on the other side of the parking lot, where Justice was still swinging away. They stumbled in that direction, leaving the girls alone once more.

“Come on,” said Allie, grabbing Kylie’s hand.

The girls ran toward the next level of the ramp and ducked behind a van, when they noticed another zombie wandering down from the second level.

“Keep going, keep going,” pleaded Allie as he shuffled closer to the van. When it stopped and began sniffing the air, both girls looked at each other in horror.

“Oh no, he must smell us,” whispered Kylie.

A loud growl of excitement confirmed their suspicions, and seconds later, the girls found themselves facing a hungry and very scary giant of a zombie.

“Back off,” said Allie, raising the bat. “Shoo!”

The lips on the dark-skinned zombie, who stood close to seven feet, turned up in a gruesome smile. He lurched toward the girls.

“Oh, my God!” screamed Kylie.

Allie swung the bat as hard as she could and hit the zombie in the waist. The zombie swayed slightly backwards but then steadied itself, growling angrily.

“Allie, try it again!” yelled Kylie.

This time she raised the bat over her head and hit the zombie in the chest, knocking him to the ground. “Let’s go!” she cried, lowering the bat.

The girls ran past the zombie and continued their way to the next level, pausing only to gauge the safety of their path. When it looked clear, they ran to the next two levels until Allie stopped, gasping for air.

“I’m tired,” she said, trying to catch her breath. “Let’s walk the rest of the way.”

“I hope nobody shows up and takes our food and water from the truck,” said Kylie, wiping the sweat from her forehead. “I’m dying of thirst.”

“Me too. I’m sure Justice will drive us back to the truck once we find another vehicle with gas.”

“If he makes it,” said Kylie, her eyes big.

“Don’t say that. He will.”

“Did you see the zombies entering the lot when we left? There were so many…”

“Justice will make it. He promised.”

“I hope you’re right.”

They walked the rest of the way in silence, reaching the roof of the parking ramp. Both girls hesitated to step into the rain as they watched it come down in heavy sheets. The rain had obviously picked up.

“At least there aren’t any zombies waiting up here to greet us,” said Allie.

“Maybe they just don’t like the rain.”

“Maybe.”

A growl from behind startled the girls. When they turned around, they found two gruesome half-naked zombies heading in their direction.

“Great,” said Allie, gripping the bat tighter. “At least these two are a little smaller than that last sucker. He must have been a good basketball player being as tall as he was.”

These two zombies both appeared to be women, one much older than the other, but from the neck down they were both so chewed up and rotted, they barely resembled humans, let alone females.

“I can’t do it,” said Kylie, her hand shaking as she pointed the knife at the zombies. “I just can’t.”

“Fine, let’s just run,” said Allie, grabbing her by the hand and pulling her into the storm. The girls’ feet splashed through the rain puddles until they reached the door to the stairwell. When they glanced back, they noticed the two zombies hadn’t given up on them that easily.

“Let’s hide in here!” yelled Allie, grasping the door handle. Unfortunately, it was locked. “No… no… no…” she cried. “This is not happening.”

“What’s wrong? Open the door!”

“I can’t. It’s locked!”

“Oh no!”

Allie stared at her friend, whose wet, dark hair was plastered against her face. “We’re going to have to kill them before they get us.”

Kylie’s eyes widened in horror. “I –”

“You have to!”

“Oh no. Oh, my God!”

The younger zombie reached the girls first and Allie stepped forward, her bat held high. “Leave us alone!”

The zombie ignored her and lurched forward with arms open wide.

Allie swung the bat and bashed the zombie in the head, crushing its skull. Horrified and disgusted, she dropped the bat as the zombie dropped to the ground.

The second zombie arrived and went right for Kylie, who screeched in horror as she tried jabbing at its chest with her knife.

“In the head, remember!” yelled Allie, moving toward it as it tried reaching for her friend. She grabbed it by its stringy dark hair, ripping strands out of the zombie’s decayed skull. “Oh, gross,” she shuddered, releasing the hair.

The zombie howled and then turned toward her, its mouth open and teeth bared.

“Come on, do it!” gasped Allie, backing away in terror.

“You leave her alone!” cried Kylie.

The zombie turned back to her and she raised the knife, plunging it into its head. Shaking violently, she released the knife and the zombie fell backwards with it still embedded in its skull.

“Are you all right?” asked Allie, rushing to her.

“I think so,” she said, weeping. “I can’t believe I had to do that.”

“It would have killed you,” said Allie as the girls hugged each other in the rain. “You had no choice.”

“You two okay?”

The girls turned to find Justice limping toward them. They rushed over and both threw their arms around him.

“Oh, my God!” sobbed Kylie. “We were so scared!”

“It’s okay,” he said, patting her softly on the back. “I’m here, now.”

“Are you okay?” asked Allie as they released him.

He gave her a lopsided grin. “Well, I almost broke my neck falling over a raised slab of cement but other than that, I’m fine.”

Allie smiled proudly. “We killed us some zombies.”

“I see that. Good job.”

“It was horrible,” said Kylie. “I hope I never have to do it again.”

He put a hand on her shoulder. “I agree, kid, it’s horrible, but you do what you have to do to stay alive. Don’t ever hesitate if one of those things comes after you, again. They won’t change their mind about killing you, and neither should you.”

She sighed and nodded.

“What now?” asked Allie.

Justice scanned the lot, which held only three vehicles. He pointed to an old Ford pickup. “I think I can hotwire that one. Hopefully it has enough gas to get us out of this town.”

“What about that car with the sunroof?” asked Allie, pointing to a newer Buick Regal.

He shook his head. “I feel a little safer in the taller truck with the crowd of zombies down there trying to get to us. Plus, I know I can hotwire the Ford because it’s older. I’m just not sure about the Regal.”

“Okay,” she answered.

They followed Justice to the truck and found that it was unlocked.

“That was lucky,” said Kylie.

“Why would it be locked?” said Allie. “If someone was going to steal a vehicle, they probably wouldn’t go for an old truck like this.” It was at least twenty years old and reminded her of Cassie’s old clunker.

“Easy as pie,” said Justice a couple of minutes later when the engine roared to life.

“What’s that noise?” muttered Kylie, as they backed up.

“It sounds like it needs a new muffler,” he said, frowning. “This thing is going to draw a lot of attention.”

“Great, the zombies are going to hear us coming from the next town,” said Allie.

“We’ll trade it in as soon as we can. Right now, we really don’t have a choice,” said Justice.

“At least the tank is half full,” said Kylie.

He nodded. “It’ll get us out of the city. There will be plenty of vehicles in the next fifty miles or so. Lots of homes with trucks.” He looked into the rearview mirror. “In fact, we’d better leave now. The noise from this beast has already drawn more zombies.”

Four of them were heading in their direction, but Justice zigzagged around them, leaving the upper level of the ramp.

“See,” said Justice, when he was forced to hit a zombie on the next level down. “Hitting one of those things with a car wouldn’t be as effective. An old truck like this is much more practical.”

“Ew… now there’s zombie blood on the hood,” cringed Allie.

“The rain will wash it off when we get back outside,” he said, turning another corner.

“What about our supplies?” asked Kylie, who was sitting in the middle. “Are we going back to the other truck for them?”

He sighed. “No. It’s just not worth the risk, and my back hurts, so now I’m at a disadvantage. Besides, when I left that area of the ramp, there were more zombies entering the lot.”

“Well, I’m so thirsty,” said Kylie. “I’m going to get nauseous if we don’t find something to drink soon.”

“We’ll find something,” he said. “Just hold tight.”

“Okay.”

When they exited the building, there were still dozens of zombies stumbling through the rain-flooded streets.

“Is this what it’s going to be like from now on?” sighed Allie, laying her head against the passenger window. “Just those things and us, trying to avoid them?”

“Eventually they’ll die out if they can’t eat,” he said.

She turned to him. “How do you know? I mean aren’t they already dead?”

“Good point.”

“It’s not going to be like this forever,” said Kylie. “God has a plan.”

Allie raised her eyebrows. “God has a plan? And how do you know?”

“You’d know if you’d watched the History Channel more often,” she said.

“I love the History Channel,” said Justice. “But I may have missed the program pertaining to zombies and God.”

“Well, it didn’t really specify zombies,” said Kylie with a wry smile. “But it did mention deadly plagues, which obviously did help create the zombies.”

Allie sighed. “I give up, what has God got to do with the zombies and the world changing?”

“It’s the ‘End of Days.’ Just like one of the historians on the show talked about.”

“So, what exactly did they say?” asked Allie.

“They said we’d be struck by disease, hunger, and earthquakes. The sky will turn dark like night, and the oceans will turn to blood, and Satan will emerge to fight in the final battle between good and evil.”

Allie’s jaw dropped. “Shut up. Seriously? That’s what they said?”

Kylie nodded. “Yep.”

“That’s kind of blowing things way out of proportion, isn’t it?” said Justice. “I mean, you shouldn’t jump to that conclusion just because a vaccine caused some pretty horrifying side-effects.”

“Yeah,” said Allie. “Don’t go there, Kylie. Unless we get slammed with more earthquakes and the water turns to blood, I don’t want to hear any more about predictions that you’ve learned about on the History Channel. It’s scary enough out there as it is.”

“Exactly. Besides, if the so-called ‘Devil’ or ‘Antichrist’ was here on Earth, I’m sure we’d know by now,” replied Justice.

“Not necessarily,” said Kylie. “He may have been around for a number of years and we may not have known. Like a snake, waiting for the right moment to strike. Who knows, maybe he tampered with the vaccine that created the zombies.”

Allie felt the hair stand up on the back of her neck. “Okay, you’re really freaking me out. Let’s just not talk about this anymore.”

“Fine, but –”

Allie closed her eyes. “Seriously. Stop.”

Kylie didn’t say anything more. Not even when they passed by a pink-tinged lake where two entranced zombies appeared to be heading.

9

Cassie

“Just keep your mouth shut and I won’t hurt you,” whispered Dwayne, covering my mouth with his calloused hand as he pulled me into the darkness.

Although I’d lost my gun during our scuffle, he had no idea what he’d started. Weapon or not, there was no way I’d go down without a struggle. In fact, I’d purposely allowed him take me outside and away from the church, as I figured kicking someone's ass in a holy place had to be sacrilegious.

I nodded, trying to appear scared and as unthreatening as possible. The truth was, after everything I’d been through, I figured I could handle this with my eyes closed.

He dragged me around the church, and that's when he made his first mistake.

He released me.

I turned to face him. “What do you want?”

“Just to talk,” he said, but the look in his eyes said otherwise.

I snorted. “Oh, that’s how you get a girl to talk? You must have been quite the catch back in your hometown.”

“I was,” he said, moving closer with a sly smile. “Gals lined up to be with me.”

I smirked up at him. “Lined up, huh? You must be referring to the showers at that prison you were incarcerated at.”

His face darkened and he grabbed me by the throat.

Crap.

“That’s not funny. Don’t joke about things like that,” he spat, his eyes bulging. “You have no idea what a man has to do to survive in a place like that. What he has to give up. No clue.”

My eyes were watering. I tried digging my fingernails into his hands, but unfortunately, I’d bitten them down to the skin. I then tried to position myself so I could ‘knee’ him between the legs, when he suddenly released me and took a step back.

I bent over to catch my breath. “Sorry,” I rasped.

“That's better. Apology accepted.”

“No,” I said straightening up. “Sorry that I underestimated you.”

Then, before he had a chance to respond, I spun my leg around and delivered a roundhouse kick to his chin, using as much force as I could. He fell backwards with a grunt and I smiled in satisfaction.

Mountain boots, never leave home without them.

“You bitch,” he growled, scrambling back up.

“Is that what they called you in prison?” I taunted as he launched at me. I ducked his attack, then turned and kicked him in the back of the leg, sending him into a prickly Evergreen bush.

“What’s going on out here?” hollered Henry, who stepped out of the darkness with his shotgun raised.

“He, um, started it,” I said, smiling sheepishly.

Dwayne stood up slowly, a grimace on his face. “Just wanted to talk is all. Had no idea she was such a crazy broad.”

“If you knew what was good for you,” muttered Henry. “You wouldn’t call Wild a broad, and you’d stay away from her.”

I frowned. “Hey, I’m also not crazy.”

Henry ignored me. “Looks like you’ve overstayed your welcome, Dwayne. Now, you need to get your friend and hightail it on out of here.”

He scowled. “I don’t think that’s your decision. Besides, this is a church. A place of God. He doesn’t turn anyone away.”

“Once you turn him away,” said Sister Theresa, stepping around the corner of the building. “There is only darkness.”

“And an exit door with your name on it,” said Henry.

I just couldn’t resist. “That' shouldn't be too difficult for him to find. Dwayne is no stranger to the 'exit door'.”

He shot me a scathing look and I was relieved that Henry was the one holding the shotgun.

“I’m not sure what’s going on out here,” said Sister Theresa, her face solemn. “But this is a sacred church and we don’t condone any immoral behavior. Now, for the protection of the children and our other guests, I suggest you and your friend Travis leave without giving us any more trouble.”

“You people are all nuts,” said Dwayne, shaking his head. “I haven’t done anything but receive a few lucky kicks from this crazy chick.”

“They were deliberate, not lucky,” I snapped, putting my hands on my hips. “And you were lucky that Henry saved your ass or I would have carved it.”

“Right,” snorted Dwayne.

“Here’s the other one,” hollered Nora, clutching an ax as she followed Travis, who clearly did not look happy. “Kallie told us what happened and so I woke this one up, too.”

“What did you do?” snarled Travis, getting into Dwayne’s face.

Dwayne’s face paled. “Nothing.”

“He was trying to have his way with young Wild, here,” said Henry. “I’d say that was something.”

“I told you to behave here,” growled Travis, grabbing the larger man by the front of the shirt. “To keep your shit in check.”

“Please. I wasn’t going to do anything,” replied Dwayne with real terror in his eyes.

Henry and I glanced at each other in surprise. Although Dwayne was much bigger than Travis, it was obvious as to who was in charge.

Travis’s shoulders relaxed. He released Dwayne and then turned to me. “I’m sorry. If I would have known he was pulling that shit, I would have kept a better eye on him. We’ll be on our way.”

I didn’t say anything. Although Travis appeared sincere, something in his eyes told me that he was much more dangerous than Dwayne.

“We’d appreciate that,” said Henry.

Travis nodded and then smiled at me. “You’re a brave girl,” he said, his eyes so black, they were unsettling. “I’m sure your parents would have been proud of you. If they would have survived.”

“Well, I’d hope so,” I said, wondering how he knew they were both dead. Of course, with the current zombie apocalypse going down, it was an easy assumption.

He studied me intently. “Something tells me we’re going to meet again.”

For some reason, I knew deep down that he was right, and it made the hair stand up on the back of my neck. “Oh?”

“Yes. Definitely. Now, don’t lose that courage,” he said, turning away. “If you want to survive for a time in this war, I’m sure they’re going to need all the help they can get.”

I was confused. “War?”

He motioned toward Dwayne, who nodded and then glanced back at me one last time. “You do amuse me, child. You really do. You and your antics. Unfortunately, sides have been chosen and yours is,” he wrinkled his nose. “nauseatingly obvious. So, without further ado, I’m going to leave all of you with a parting gift, or rather, a message… for him.”

“For me?” asked Henry.

Travis smiled darkly. “Oh, Henry. It’s not always about you. Although I do appreciate your vanity, yes I do. No, this message is for he who creates such false hopes amongst his children. The one who thinks he can still destroy my master. He has no clue, however. No clue as to the powers that Apollyon possesses.”

“Apolly-who? What in the hell are you talking about, psychopath?” snapped Nora.

Instead of getting angry, he chuckled heartily. “Exactly. We are living in pure hell right now, aren’t we? You’d better all get used to it, because it’s only going to get worse.”

Before any of us could respond, he raised his hand and a small ball of fire appeared above it.

“Lord God Almighty, help us,” said Sister Theresa, clutching her cross. “And have mercy on this man’s soul.”

“His mercy isn’t welcome, here,” smirked Travis, his eyes now glowing the same color as the flames.

Her eyes widened and she held out her cross. “Be gone, demon!”

We all watched in stunned disbelief as he raised his other hand and began spinning the fire until it was the size of a large beach ball. Then he turned toward the church and cast it into the air.

“No!” I screamed, as the fireball hit the side of the church and the flames began to spread.

He looked back at us and his smile chilled me to the bone. “Well, good luck with all of that.” Then he left, his laughter echoing wickedly in the darkness.

10

Allie and Kylie

After leaving the disturbing scene at the lake, they quickly found the street leading to Cassie and Allie’s grandparents’ home.

“There’s the house,” said Kristie, pointing to a small cedar home nestled halfway up the block.

“Looks pretty quiet around here,” murmured Tiny. “I don’t know if that’s a good sign or a really bad one.”

“Not a lot of zombies lurking around is definitely good for us,” said Bryce, getting out of the SUV.

The rest of them got out of the vehicle and splashed through the deep puddles until they reached the front porch.

“Should we knock?” asked Tiny, cupping his hands around his eyes as he tried looking through a large bay window.

“Why not? It’ll draw the attention of any zombies in the house and we’ll know what we’re dealing with,” said Kristie, rapping on the door.

“Ring the doorbell, too, in case someone is in the back of the house,” said Bryce.

After ringing and knocking several times, they walked around the back to the three-season porch. Fortunately, the backdoor wasn’t locked.

“Let’s just go inside,” said Kristie, pushing the door open. When they entered the living room, she sighed. “Hate to say this, but something tells me we’re all alone in here.”

“Keep going,” said Paige. “Maybe they’re downstairs or in one of the other rooms.”

“Maybe,” her mother replied.

They walked toward the back of the house until they reached the kitchen.

“Check this out,” said Bryce, picking up a piece of paper. “They left a note.”

To our loved ones,

If you’re reading this then our prayers have been answered, and you’re alive! As you can see, we are not at the house but have taken refuge with Tom and Barb on their yacht (Her Escape) on the Saint Croix River. We have stockpiled some supplies and have anchored near the Stillwater Bridge, so if you can join us, please do, because we miss and love you so very much!

Hugs and Kisses,

Us

Bryce sighed. “Great. Well, I guess we have some more driving to do.”

“Hmm… It’s going to be dark soon and I think we should wait around here a little longer,” said Kristie. “In case Kylie and Allie show up.”

“Or, Bryce and I could drive to Stillwater right now and look for the yacht, while the rest of you hold tight here,” said Billie.

Tiny shook his head. “I don’t think it’s a good idea to split up. What if something bad happens or if one of you get hurt? Then you guys would be missing, too.”

“If we sit around here, we’re wasting more time,” said Bryce. “Billie and I should leave right now, in case Cassie and Nora have already headed out to Stillwater and need help. We wait too long, and we may miss them totally.”

“Yeah, he’s right,” said Kristie. “Knowing Cassie, once she knows her grandparents are safe, she’ll head back to Atlanta. You forget, she doesn’t even know that her sister is missing, again.”

“Maybe they’ve already reunited,” said Tiny.

“No,” replied Bryce. “I doubt those kids made it to Minnesota before we did.”

“You’ve convinced me,” said Tiny, throwing the keys to Bryce. “Leave us some food and water before you take off, though.”

“Sure,” said Bryce.

“I’m coming with you guys,” said Paige.

“Absolutely not, young lady,” said Kristie.

She rolled her eyes. “For God’s sake, mom! I’m not sitting here, watching you two play kissy-face while these guys go off to find Cassie. Besides, like I said earlier, I’m an adult now and should have the right to make my own decisions.”

“You’re still my kid. Look, it’s too dangerous out there. You’re staying here with us and that’s final,” said Kristie.

Paige’s face fell. “You never let me do anything. I mean, come on, haven’t I proved that I can protect myself against the zombies?”

“Listen, it’s not just the zombies I’m worried about, Paige. Look at what happened to you and Cassie in Atlanta. There are some dangerous people out there and I’m not taking any chances of you getting hurt. I mean, hell, we don’t even know where your sister is! I’m not about to lose you out there, too. So just chill out here with us and stop trying to take on everything.”

Paige stared at her for a minute and then nodded. “Fine.”

Kristie walked over and pulled her into her arms. “Thank you. Now, why don’t you help Tiny gather some food from the SUV before these two take off. Then, if I were you, I’d try and get some rest. I can’t even remember the last time you slept.”

“Well. I am kind of tired.”

“I bet. While you guys do that, I’m going to see if there are any candles around,” said Kristie, opening some drawers in the kitchen. “It’s going to be dark soon and we’ll be walking into walls if we don’t have light.”

Tiny handed her a flashlight. “Take this and check the laundry room, too,” said Tiny. “That’s where I usually kept my candles.”

Paige followed the guys back out to the SUV where they grabbed a jug of water, some beef jerky, and a bag of popcorn.

“At least the rain stopped,” said Bryce, staring up into the sky.

“For now,” said Paige.

“So, we should be back in a couple of hours,” said Billie, getting into passenger side of the SUV. “I would think all of that food would tide you guys over until then.”

“I’d use the bathroom here if I were you two,” said Paige, leaning into the window. “Stillwater is almost an hour away.”

Billie sighed and then got back out of the SUV. “Probably a good idea.”

“She’s right,” said Bryce. He smiled. “For once.”

“You’re a barrel of laughs, Mr. Miyagi,” she said, with a smirk.

Bryce’s eyes narrowed. “Didn’t your mother tell you to go take a nap or something?”

“Yes she did, and for once, I’m not going to argue.”

“Amazing,” he said, getting back out of the SUV.

When they walked back into the house, Paige told Kristie that she was going to lie down in one of the bedrooms.

“Okay, honey. I’ll wake you up if I hear anything.”

She kissed her mom on the cheek. “Love you, mom.”

Kristie smiled. “I love you, too, Paige.”

Fifty minutes later, as Bryce maneuvered the SUV around a group of zombies in downtown Stillwater, Kristie brought a candle into the bedroom Paige had disappeared into, only to find it empty.

“Paige?” she hollered, checking the other rooms in the house. “Paige!”

“What’s wrong?” asked Tiny, chewing on a piece of dried beef.

She rubbed her forehead in frustration. “I think that Paige took off with the boys.”

“Oh shit.”

She sat down on one of the recliners and sighed. “I should have known something was wrong when she gave up so easily earlier when I told her she couldn’t go with them to Stillwater. She’s usually not so compliant. I should have known she was up to something.”

Tiny rubbed her back. “Don’t worry about Paige, hon. I’m sure the boys will take good care of her.”

She looked up at him. “They’d better, because when she gets back, I swear, I’m going to tear into her harder than any freaken’ zombie, dammit.”

***

“Is that the boat?” asked Billie, thirty minutes later.

They’d parked on the Stillwater Bridge overlooking the river and there was an older model fifty-seven foot Jefferson anchored in the water.

Bryce lowered the binoculars. “Yep, that’s the one. Her Escape.”

“You see anyone?”

He shook his head. “No. It’s too dark. They could all be sleeping. It’s after ten.”

“Let’s hope that’s all it is.”

“You should park at the marina over there,” said Paige, over Billie’s shoulder.

“Jesus!” he gasped, turning around.

“Paige!” barked Bryce. “You scared the hell out of us. What are you doing here?”

She smiled. “I’m here to help. Chill out.”

“Did you tell your mom you were coming?” asked Bryce.

She snorted. “Hell no.”

“When did you sneak into the SUV?” asked Bryce.

“When you guys were relieving yourselves in the house.”

“Figures.”

“Kristie must be worried sick,” said Billie. “You shouldn’t have done this.”

“Look, there was no way I was going to stay behind picking my butt while you guys took off to go where the action is. No way.”

“Is that what girls do when they’re bored?” laughed Billie. “Pick their butts?”

She pushed his shoulder. “Oh, shut up, you nerd.”

“Paige, this is dangerous,” said Bryce, motioning to a pack of zombies already moving toward them from across the bridge. “It’s not an adventure or a game. It’s real life and death situations. Now, not only do we have to worry about finding the others, but we have to worry about you.”

Her eyes flashed angrily. “Why does everyone assume that I can’t take care of myself?”

“I’m sure you can, to a point. But when you’re surrounded by zombies and neither of us can get to you, what are you going to do? Swing the bat and hope for the best? I don’t want to sound sexist, but you’re a girl, and not even a very big one,” said Bryce.

“I’m five-ten, so I’m not that small, and definitely not stupid. For God’s sake, I’m not just going to put myself in a dangerous situation.”

Bryce threw up his hands. “What do you think you’re doing now?!”

“Calm down,” said Billie. “What’s done is done and we have to move forward. Let’s find a place to park at that marina. Paige can wait in the SUV while we walk to the river’s edge and try to get their attention.”

“I’m not waiting in the SUV,” said Paige. “I’m coming with you guys.”

“Oh, hell no,” said Bryce.

“I have to agree with Bryce. That’s where we draw the line.”

Paige sighed. “Fine.”

“We’re serious, Paige. Stay in the vehicle,” warned Bryce.

“Heard you the first time,” she yawned.

“Good,” he replied, turning on the engine. “Because I’m not going to save your ass if you disobey. Seriously. I don’t care if Kristie kills me because of it. I have too many other people to worry about these days.”

“I get it.”

Knowing how unruly Paige’s best friend was, Bryce wasn’t so sure.

11

Allie and Kylie

“Shit,” said Justice, tapping on the gas gauge, thirty minutes out of Rockford. “I think we’re running out of gas already.”

Allie leaned over and looked at the gauge. “Why does it say that it’s half-full, then?”

“Must be broken.”

“Are we going to make it to the next town?” asked Kylie, staring into darkness, which held nothing but fields, trees, and the walking dead.

“I don’t think so,” he said. “I think we’re screwed.”

“How far is it to the next town?” asked Allie.

“Janesville is another thirty miles, but we should be able to find an abandoned vehicle along the way. A farmstead or something,” he replied.

“We have to walk?” squeaked Kylie, in horror. “In the darkness, all alone?”

He shrugged. “Well, you can wait in the truck until I come back with something more suitable.”

“Oh no,” she said. “Been there, done that. We’re coming with you.”

Within minutes, the truck began to coast on the fumes alone. When it finally stalled, they got out of the truck and started walking.

“Pace yourself,” he said, staring forward into the darkness. “We probably have a very long walk a head of us.”

“It’s so dark,” said Kylie, biting her lower lip. “And there are so… many trees. Anything could be lurking in there, waiting for the right time to attack us.”

“True, so keep your eyes open,” he replied, “and your voices down.”

“At least it’s not raining anymore,” whispered Allie.

“Yeah, but it left us with the smell of dead fish,” he said, wrinkling his nose. “Hell, the smells on this planet just keep getting better and better every day.”

“And copper,” said Kylie. “It smells like copper, too.”

Justice sighed. “You’re not going to start with that bloody water thing again, are you?”

“Why can’t you open your mind along with your eyes?” she said. “This is only the beginning of what’s going to happen. A beginning to an end.”

“Dun, dun, dun…” chuckled Justice.

“You really think this is the end of the world?” whispered Allie, a knot forming in her stomach. She was exhausted and Kylie’s fanatical predictions were starting to really get to her.

Kylie’s eyes glittered in the darkness. “Well, I believe that it’s the end of something and that the zombies are just the prequel. Soon, we’re going to be in the middle of something so profound, something that is going to change the rest of humanity forever. For some, it’s going to be exhilarating and beautiful, for others, it’s going to be devastating.”

Allie stopped in her tracks. “Okay, you’re beginning to really freak me out. I’ve never heard you talk like that. You sound so… prophetic. Is that even a word?”

She smiled. “Yes.”

“So, this is all of the stuff you watched on the History Channel?” asked Justice.

“Um, well… a little. But, I know you’re both going to think I’m crazy…”

“What?” asked Allie.

“I’ve been having these dreams,” she said. “Crazy wild dreams, about war and death.”

“War and death?” frowned Allie. “Seriously? That sounds so morbid.”

She nodded. “I know, right? I’ve had several these last couple of weeks. I’ve dreamt about, now don’t laugh, but angels fighting demons. Demons that are being led by Satan.”

Justice’s eyebrows shot up. “Satan? Oh boy. Look, I’m going to be honest with you – I’m an atheist. A firm atheist. So obviously I’m going to tell you that your mind is playing tricks on you. That there is no such thing as the Devil, demons, or even God.”

“Seriously?” asked Allie, turning to him. “You really believe that?”

“Of course.  If there was a God, why would he have allowed so many people to die? Innocent people. And don’t tell me that only the really wicked ones were killed, because my little sister was as sweet and virtuous as they come,” he said, his eyes moistening up. “She didn’t deserve to die the way she did, with her throat and insides ripped out.”

“I’m sorry,” said Kylie, touching his arm. “You know that we’ve all lost people we loved. But you have to believe that it was part of a plan. One bigger than all of us.”

“No,” he said, his voice thick. “I’m sorry but I just won’t buy into that. We’re alone, all alone… and when we die, we die. Everything about us dies and those are the facts.”

Kylie frowned. “But –”

“No more talk, please,” he said, moving ahead of them. “Just, please, respect my beliefs by keeping yours to yourself.”

Allie and Kylie stared at each other silently and then began walking again.

“I’m not saying that I don’t believe you had those dreams,” whispered Allie. “But you have to admit, all this talk about the end of the world and a fight between good and evil, it’s just too much.”

She nodded. “I know, but Allie, I swear to you, these dreams are so vivid, so real. I’m not psychic, but I believe that someone is sending me a real message. One that’s very relevant to what’s been happening.”

“A message, from who?” asked Allie.

She looked up at the stars. “Someone up there, who’s looking out for us.”

12

Cassie

“Is that the last of the kids?” asked Henry, bending over and trying to catch his breath.

I stared into the darkness at all of the children, many of them peering back at me with tear-stained faces. “Yes. Everyone’s accounted for. Nora said in a few minutes, we should be able to bring everyone back inside. Are you okay?”

Fortunately, we’d gotten the flames out with hoses and wet blankets before the fire had caused any real damage to the church.

He stood up straight and wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. “Oh, I’m fine. The real question is – what in the hell happened back there, Wild?”

I shook my head. “I don’t really know, Henry. I’ve already pinched myself several times, to make sure I’m not dreaming. Right now, I almost wish I was.”

“That feller, Travis? He must be some kind of magician or illusionist to pull something like that off.”

“Something. He certainly was a whack-job.”

“Both of them were,” he said.

“At least they’re gone now,” I said.

He took his cowboy hat off, ran a hand through his white hair, then plopped it back in place. “Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m exhausted. I think we should all try and get some sleep, then head on out of here before noon. Get back to Minnesota.”

“I agree, but what if those guys come back and cause more trouble for the nuns?” I whispered.

“You know, something tells me that they’re not coming back this way. No, I think they’ve got bigger fish to fry and this was just a little pit-stop.”

“You really think so?”

He nodded.

“What about you, Nora?” I asked, as she walked over to us. “What’d you make of those two guys?”

Her eyes narrowed. “Tell you the truth, that dude, Travis, he seriously gave me the chills.”

I raised my eyebrows. “He even freaked you out, huh?”

“Hell yeah. The way he handled the big dufus, and that ball of fire he somehow conjured up… that was some strange shit.”

“Sister Theresa called him a demon,” I said. “You don’t think there was anything to that?”

Nora burst out laughing. “Seriously, Wild? A freaken’ demon? What funny plants have you been smoking, girl?”

I frowned. “Well, if I would have mentioned zombies three months ago, you would have laughed at me then, too.”

Her smile fell. “Good point.”

Henry waved his hand in disgust. “Okay, enough demon-mumbo-jumbo talk. That guy was some kind of illusionist, just like I told Wild. That’s all it is. Why do you think he had that tattoo under his eye? Been in prison, obviously. If he was a demon, you think he would have ended up in the slammer? Hell no.”

“Maybe you’re right,” I said. “I’m just being paranoid. That stuff the nuns were talking about earlier, it’s been niggling at me all night.”

“Listen, Wild, those two yahoos were just trying to scare the tar out of us. Obviously, they did a good job. Even left me a little miffed. But now we know better, right? It’s just illusion brought on by an evil man. One that is certainly human, but nothing more.”

I nodded.

“Okay,” he said. “Now, I’m tuckered. I’m going to lie down for an hour or two. When I’m refreshed, we’re going to make sure these women have what they need to keep those kids safe for a while. Then, we’re going to get back to our original mission – find your grandparents, Nora’s old man, and then get our butts back to Atlanta.”

Thinking of how much I missed my sister and Bryce, I couldn’t agree more.

He stared off into the darkness, a wistful look on his face. “I tell you what – I sure miss watching Belinda do those Pilates moves, by golly. I don’t even have to exercise – she squats and it’s all that’s needed to get this old man’s blood flowing.”

I bit back a smile as Henry started shuffling toward the church.

13

Bryce

“Do you think she’ll stay put?” asked Billie as they skidded down the mud-covered hill and through the trees.

Fortunately, the boat was anchored in a spot that was accessible, although not easily on foot. Thus, their trek had been more challenging than they’d originally anticipated.

“She’d better or she’s going to have more than the zombies to worry about. If she doesn’t fall going down this hill, then she’ll fall backwards when I rip into her about defying us.”

Billie chuckled. “Somehow, I don’t think you scare her.”

“I must be losing my touch,” said Bryce with a humorless grin. “I can’t keep any of these girls in line.”

“They’re all pretty unruly. I’m surprised they’ve made it this far, being so reckless.”

“If you ask me, they’ve just been really lucky.”

“Well, I don’t know about just being lucky. Nora, Cassie, and Paige are pretty tough chicks. They put a lot of men I’ve met to shame.”

“Yeah, well they’re also overly-confident when it comes to these zombies. I mean, seriously, one false move and that’s it. Tar-tar for the zombies. They all need to start thinking before acting.”

“I hear you.”

When the guys reached the bottom of the hill, they moved to the edge of the water and Bryce took out his flashlight.

“The water,” whispered Billie. “It’s pink again, isn’t it?”

Bryce shined it at the water near their feet and nodded. “Yeah, it kind of looks that way.”

Billie frowned. “I can’t believe this. What in the heck is going on?”

“Just relax, man. Don’t go jumping to conclusions.”

“It’s hard not to after everything that has happened.”

He shook the flashlight several times to charge it. “We have to focus on finding the girls right now. We’ll worry about this other stuff later.”

Billie’s eyes widened and he pointed. “Oh, my God, what in the hell is that?”

Bryce aimed the flashlight toward the moonlit water and felt the hair stand up on the back of his neck. “I, um, believe those are a couple of zombies enjoying a midnight swim.”

“That’s pretty creepy,” he said, watching the zombies, who were wading out into deeper water.

“Yeah, a little bit.”

“Wonder if zombies got to the people on the boat?”

“I guess we’ll soon find out. “Hello!” he called, aiming the flashlight toward the dark yacht.

Nobody answered.

“Hello!” he yelled louder, his voice echoing across the water.

“This doesn’t look good,” muttered Billie after a few minutes of silence.

“No, it doesn’t,” he said, handing him the flashlight. “Here, hold this.”

“What are you going to do?”

Bryce lifted his gray T-shirt over his head. “I’m swimming out there.”

“Seriously?”

“Yep. Just watch out for zombies for me, okay? Especially those two we just saw. They seem to be ignoring us for now, but that could change in a heartbeat.”

“Yeah. No problem.”

Bryce removed his socks and boots. “Okay, wish me luck.”

“Good luck, man.”

Bryce stepped into the water and swore under his breath. Even though it was in the middle of the summer, the river’s water was still chilly.

“Cold?”

He waded further into the murky water. “Very,” he said through clenched teeth. He then launched forward and began swimming toward the yacht, which was about three hundred yards away. He tried to ignore the smell of the water as it splashed against his face. Although he was no ecologist, he knew there was definitely something wrong with the river. Not only was it the wrong color, but it smelled like iron.

“Bryce!”

He stopped swimming and turned back to find both Billie and now Paige, both standing on the embankment, waving their arms frantically.

Dammit, he thought, planting his feet on a sandbank. Why can’t one of these girls just do what they’re told for once!

“Zombie!” hollered Billie.

Bryce turned around and found himself face to face with one. Gasping, he pulled his fist back and delivered a hard punch to the creature’s nose, shattering any remaining bone and cartilage not yet decomposed. Then, before the zombie could retaliate, he threw himself back into the water and began swimming toward the boat once more. When he reached the back of the yacht, he climbed onto the swimming platform, took a few seconds to catch his breath, and then stepped onto the deck.

“Hello?” he called, knocking on the sliding glass door. When nobody answered, he pulled it open, stepped inside, and searched the impressive boat. Unfortunately, it appeared to have been abandoned.

Sighing, he turned to leave the galley when something caught his eye. A note taped to the refrigerator that said:

Went in search of supplies. If you are a stranger, please be respectful to our boat and we’ll share what we have. If you’re family, take off your shoes and stay awhile! We’ll try to hurry - XOXO

Sighing, he rubbed a hand over his face, wondering what to do. They certainly couldn’t wait around for Cassie’s family to show up. It might not ever happen with all the shit going down.

Noticing the pen, he quickly scribbled a message of his own on the same note:

Cassie,

If you get this, we’ll be at your grandparents’ for the next couple of days. Come find us.

Love,

Bryce

Sighing, he walked out of the galley, through the boat’s salon, and out the back, closing the sliding glass door. When he turned back around, he found himself looking right into a double-barreled shotgun.

14

Allie and Kylie

“Wait, you guys. I just can’t walk any further,” said Allie. “My feet are seriously killing me.”

“We need to keep moving,” said Justice, turning around, walking backwards on the pavement. “I think there’s a house over that next hill.”

Her eyes narrowed. “You say that before every hill.”

The side of his lip went up. “One of these times, I’ll be right.”

She stopped, took off her pink canvas shoes, and examined her heels in alarm. “See, they’re both raw from blisters.”

Justice walked back and stared at her ankles. “It’s your own fault for wearing such cheap tennis shoes and no socks.”

“It’s not like I had a lot of choice in the matter,” she muttered. “The only other ones I had were left in the truck we abandoned back at that parking ramp. The one you said was too dangerous to return to. So if anything, it’s your fault.”

“Well, it wasn’t like I planned this hike,” he said. “We just got stuck with the wrong truck.”

“Hey, you guys, someone’s coming!” cried Allie.

They both turned to stare at the large pair of headlights heading toward them in the distance.

“It’s a semi,” said Justice. “You girls get behind those trees over there. I’ll see if they stop.”

The girls ran toward the dark woods and hid behind a large oak tree as the truck got closer. When it slowed down and finally came to a stop, Justice walked up to it.

“Hey, kid,” smiled the passenger, a man who looked to be in his late twenties. “You need a ride?”

The dark-haired man had a friendly enough smile but there was something about him that seemed off.

“Maybe. Where you heading?” asked Justice.

“Oh, here and there,” he replied, scratching his scruffy chin. “What about you?”

“Minnesota.”

“You have a long way to go.”

Justice chuckled. “Tell me about it.”

“Well, you’re in luck because we’ll be passing through that way. Have some business to take care of in Canada. You may as well join us.”

“You don’t mind?” asked Justice.

“Hell no,” said the man. “In fact, it’s your lucky day, kid. We’ve got space as well as food and water. That’s why we’re using this rig.” He grinned and patted the outside of the door. “It came fully supplied with life’s little necessities.”

Truth be told, he was parched and the thought of water made his mouth feel even drier. “So, what about your friend in the cab – he okay with this? Sharing a ride and some of your supplies with a stranger?”

The man turned to the driver and said something, then turned back. “He said to get in, time’s a-wasting.”

Justice turned toward the woods, wondering if he was making the right choice. Plus, they still didn’t know about the girls.

“Your friends are also welcome,” said the driver, leaning over to the open window. He smiled warmly. “We have plenty to spare and would be honored if you’d all joined us.”

He stared back at the red-haired man and wondered how he’d known about the girls.

***

Five minutes later, Justice sat between the two men while the girls rode in the back sleeping compartment.

“So, what’s your name?” asked the dark-haired man, who was a lot bigger than Justice had originally thought.

“Justice.”

“I’m Travis,” said the driver. “And that’s Dwayne. Glad you could join us.”

“Uh, sure. Thanks for inviting us.”

“So, where’d you hook up with those two girls?” asked Dwayne, his eyes glittering with a little too much interest for a man his age.

Justice’s eyes narrowed when he noticed Dwayne’s teardrop tattoo. Having spent time in a tattoo shop, he was well aware of the symbolism of Dwayne’s tattoo. “Met them a few towns back. When did you get the tat?”

“Which one?” he chuckled, raising the bottom of his T-shirt until his inked torso was exposed. He had dozens of them – from dragons and skulls, to pierced hearts and black roses.

“I was talking about the one under your eye.”

Dwayne sighed. “Well, got that one a while back.”

“You kill someone?”

“Now, if I asked you that question right now, I am pretty sure we’d both have the same answer.”

“The people I kill are already dead,” said Justice.

He chuckled. “Well, the ones I’ve killed should have been.”

“Don’t worry about him,” interrupted Travis. “He won’t kill unless instructed to.”

Instructed to?

Justice tried to remain calm. “Oh, yeah?”

“Yes, his priorities have been,” he smiled, “adjusted.”

“Oh, well, that’s refreshing,” he answered. This conversation was both disturbing and crazy, he thought.

“Now, Justice, don’t get yourself all flustered. I have no issues with you at the moment. In fact, I believe you could be very helpful in our mission,” said Travis.

“Ah… what kind of a mission are we talking about, besides staying alive?”

“It’s a little complicated,” he answered. “And, I don’t think you’re quite ready to appreciate the enormity of our plans or your possible involvement. But something tells me you’ll step up to the plate when… properly persuaded.”

He frowned. “Is that right?”

Travis smiled darkly. “Oh, yes. We’ve been watching you, Justice. You’re a good soldier, very dependable. The way you risked your life to help those two girls in the parking ramp. My master was quite impressed with your determination and fighting skills.”

“Your master? And… what the hell? Were you watching us?” asked Justice, tensing up. “You could have offered to help out a little if that was really the case.”

Travis laid a hand on his forearm. “Calm down,” he said in a hypnotically smooth voice. “Or you’ll scare your friends in the back. You don’t want that now, do you?”

Justice felt a strong wave of nausea and his lungs felt as if all the air had been sucked out. He attempted to pull his arm away from Travis’s firm grasp, but instead found himself immobile.

“Your fear,” hissed Travis, his eyes turning a golden-red hue, “is… intoxicating, I must admit. I wonder how exhilarating it would be if I were to tear the three of you from limb to limb, starting with the lovely little girls in back? Let you listen to their terrified screams and watch all of that sweet agony, all the while knowing that you’re next… hmm?”

Horrified, Justice tried to speak, but couldn’t move his mouth.

Travis went on, his strange eyes dancing with delight. “It would be quite fun for me, I assure you, but fortunately for you, we need you to help our cause.”

It was then that Justice noticed the truck was still moving forward on the road, on its own, without any help from Travis.

Who was this guy?

“Oh, I am one of your worst nightmares,” said Travis. “That’s all you need to know.”

I still don’t understand, thought Justice, staring in terror at Travis’s glowing eyes – they seemed to penetrate into his very soul. And why does he need me?

Because you’re an atheist, proclaimed the amused voice in his head, and we really like those.

15

Cassie

The nuns had generously offered us food, bottled water, and blankets for our journey. We had just finished loading the Honda with the items when I felt as if I was forgetting something else. I closed my eyes and did a mental list of what we’d need and what might still be missing, but just couldn’t put my finger on it.

“You’re leaving?”

I opened my eyes and turned around to find Kallie staring up at me with tears in her blue eyes.

“Yes,” I said, feeling a tug at my heart. I bent down on one knee. “I have to go look for my grandparents, and Nora needs to find her father.”

“Take me with you,” she pleaded, throwing her arms around me. “I’ll be good. I promise!”

I closed my eyes and hugged her back. “I can’t, honey,” I said, now feeling choked up myself. “It’s too dangerous out there for you. Heck, it’s too dangerous for us.”

“But you can’t leave me!” she cried, pulling away. “What if my mother wants to hug me, again?”

I groaned inwardly – me and my bright ideas. I shouldn’t have ever mentioned her mother. “Kallie, if your mother wants to hug you, she will. Whether it’s in the form of Sister Theresa or any one of the other nuns, you will get that hug. She doesn’t need me to do it.”

“But I felt something special when you hugged me! I’ve never felt that way with anyone else. You have to take me with you, Cassie. Please!”

Sister Francine stepped behind the young girl and put a hand on her shoulder. “Now, Kallie, you have to let Cassie get ready for her trip.”

“But she’s has to take me with her!” she cried, clutching me tighter.

“I just can’t, Kallie. It’s not safe.”

“What’s going on over here?” asked Henry, chewing on some kind of beef stick.

“Someone wants to come with,” I said, looking up at him.

His eyes softened. “Looks like you’ve made quite the impression here, Wild.”

I smiled. “Looks like.”

“You know, when we come back this way, we could pick her up and take her back to the hotel with us. There’s plenty of room. Hell, Belinda always wanted a little girl of her own – we’ll bring her back as a gift.”

“Oh, Henry. She isn’t a doll,” sighed the nun. “She’s a little girl who needs a family, a real family.”

His eyebrows furrowed. “Sister, as far as I’m concerned, we are a real family. A little unconventional, but we all look out for each other, try our best to keep one another safe. Seems to me this little girl has taken a fancy to one of our own, and obviously, vice-versa. It would be a shame to cause any more sorrow or pain in Kallie’s life, don’t you think?”

“Well, we all just want what’s best for her,” she replied.

“Well, good. Then, it’s settled. We’ll be picking her up on our way from Minnesota within the next week.”

“Did you hear that, Kallie?” I murmured, “We’ll be coming back for you real soon.”

She pulled away and stared into my eyes. “You promise?”

“I promise,” I said.

“You shouldn’t make promises you might not be able to keep,” said the nun, after Kallie had skipped off to tell her friends. “What if something happens to you?”

“Sister,” said Henry. “I’m surprised. Aren’t you the ones always encouraging others to have faith?”

She smiled. “Well, I guess you’ve got me there.”

16

Bryce

“Whoa,” said Bryce, raising his hands. “I’m friend, not foe. In fact, I know the Wild family.”

“Oh, sorry,” said the man, smiling broadly as he lowered the gun. “Wasn’t sure if you were here to steal from us or what your deal was. Name’s Tom,” he said, holding out his hand. “Tom Jones.”

“Bryce De Luca,” he answered, shaking it.

“So, kid, what are you doing out here?”

“Well, looking for Cassie and her grandparents, Steve and Irene Wild.”

“Unfortunately, they’ve left the city,” said Tom. “At least, Steve and Irene. I’m not sure about Cassie, haven’t seen her for a long time.”

“Where did Steve and Irene go?”

He sighed. “Well, they heard from their son Dave a couple of weeks ago and left for Atlanta – when the cell phones were still working. Haven’t seen anyone since.”

Bryce’s stomach dropped – they could be anywhere.

If they were still alive.

“Tom!” hollered a woman’s voice.

“It’s all right, Barb! He knows the Wilds!” called Tom, leaning over the side of the boat.

Seconds later, a dark-haired woman climbed out of a battered, fiberglass canoe and onto the yacht. “Well,” she grinned, setting her oversized bag onto the deck. “We don’t get very many visitors, unless they’re dead and inviting themselves to dinner.”

“I bet. In fact, I met one on my way out here,” said Bryce. “Have either of you noticed how the zombies have started entering all of the lakes and rivers?”

“Yeah. Started a couple of days ago. Something seems to be drawing them in,” said Tom.

“Something, as in ‘blood’,” said Barb.

“Oh, Barb,” sighed Tom.

“Oh, Barb nothing. The water is turning into blood.” She turned to Bryce. “Tom here doesn’t want to believe it, though. Thinks I’m going crazy.”

“I never said that. I just don’t think we should start packing it in because the water looks a little different.”

“I’m with you, Tom,” said Bryce. “I’m sure there’s a logical explanation.”

“Okay, be stubborn, both of you. But I’ve already told you what I think, Tom. Don’t go discounting it just because it sounds inconceivable. The fact that there are zombies walking this planet reminds us that nothing is implausible.”

“I know.”

The couple stared at each other silently, an unspoken message passing between them.

“It smells funny, too,” said Barb, turning back to Bryce. “The water.”

Bryce nodded. “I know. I had to swim in it.”

“So, what are you going to do, young man?” asked Tom. “Do you have somewhere to go?”

“Yeah, after we find Cassie and her sister, we’ll be heading back to Atlanta.”

Barb’s eyes widened. “What do you mean? They’re lost?”

Bryce went over everything that had happened with the Wilds, including the death of Dave and Kris.

Barb’s hand flew to her mouth. “Oh, my God,” she moaned. “Steve and Irene are going to be devastated.”

Bryce nodded. “It was a horrible experience for everyone, especially the girls.”

“How are they handling it?” she asked.

“Well, they’re handling it because they have no choice. Fortunately, both of them are pretty tough girls.”

Barb smiled sadly. “Yes, they certainly are. Well, I’ll say a prayer that you’ll all be reunited soon.”

“Thanks,” he said, staring off into the distance.

Tom sighed. “What a nightmare, huh? Sometimes I feel like none of this is real.”

“I wish that’s all it was,” replied Bryce. “Just a really bad dream.”

“So, you still think Cassie is headed out this way?” asked Tom.

“Not sure anymore. Hell, for all I know, she hasn’t even made it to her grandparents’ yet. I’m hoping when I get back there, she’ll be waiting.”

“You’ll find them, son. I have a feeling it won’t be long now.”

“Hope you’re right.” Lightning lit up the sky and Bryce frowned. “Well, I suppose I’d better get back.  My buddy is still waiting for me on shore and is probably mad as hell because of who he’s babysitting.”

“Babysitting?” asked Barb.

Bryce smirked. “Oh, nothing. Inside joke. Anyway, are you guys interested in returning to Atlanta with us?”

Tom put his arm around Barb. “We’re going to take our chances here. If what you’re saying is correct, the road is dangerous, and it isn’t much better in Atlanta than it is here.”

“But you won’t be alone,” said Bryce. “You’d be with other survivors, including your friends.”

“It’s very nice of you to invite us,” said Barb. “But Tom is right – we’re going to hang here. It’s the only place that feels normal and we really need that.”

Bryce nodded. “Well, I guess I can appreciate that. If you change your mind, though, we’ll be hanging out at Steven and Irene’s home for a week or two, unless everyone shows up earlier. Otherwise, we’re staying at the Ritz Carlton in Atlanta beyond that.”

“Thanks, Bryce,” said Tom. “We’ll keep that in mind.”

He climbed back down to the swimming platform. “Well, wish me luck,” he said, then dove into the water.

“Good luck!” they yelled after he resurfaced. He waved and then started swimming back to the shoreline as the rain began to pick up again. When he reached the spot he’d left Billie, it was deserted. Thinking they left to get out of the rain, he quickly put his boots and shirt back on, and then headed back toward the truck.

17

Allie and Kylie

“Something’s wrong,” whispered Kylie.

Allie yawned and stretched her arms. “What do you mean?”

“Nobody up front has talked or said anything for the last couple of hours. It’s so quiet… it’s eerie.”

They were still in the sleeper compartment, which was separated from the truck’s cab by a curtain. Allie crawled over to the curtain and peeked around it.

“Justice is sleeping in the middle,” she said, lying back down. “The other two guys aren’t really saying a word to each other,” she said to Kylie.

“It’s kind of weird, isn’t it?”

Allie shrugged. “I don’t know, guys don’t usually have as much to say as we do.”

“Hello, ladies,” said Dwayne, sticking his head through the curtain. “Have a good rest?”

“Yes,” they answered in unison.

He smiled. “Good. We’ll be stopping soon, so you can stretch your legs.”

“Thanks,” answered Allie.

“Um, is Justice still sleeping?” asked Kylie.

He hesitated. “Yes, but I’m sure he’ll be waking up soon.”

“Are we almost to Minnesota?” asked Allie.

“Almost. You excited to see your sister?”

Allie nodded.

“Good. Now, just hold tight and we’ll let you know when we get to our first destination.”

“Where is that?” asked Allie.

“You’ll see. It’s a surprise, actually. A place in Minnesota you’re both very familiar with.”

“Oh, okay,” said Allie.

Dwayne closed the curtain and Kylie turned to Allie. “Is it me, or is that guy seriously creepy?”

She nodded. “Yes. Did you see that tattoo on his eye? I think it’s some gang thing.”

“You think he’s in a gang?”

Allie snorted. “Hello? Just look at him. He’s got that long-haired hippie thing going on, has tattoos, and wears a jean vest. Guys in jean vests are almost always in gangs. Haven’t you ever watched Sons of Anarchy?”

“No.”

“Well, take it from me, they both belong to some type of gang and I’m sure they’re dangerous. We should watch them closely.”

“Justice wouldn’t let them do anything to harm anyone,” she said. “He’s looking out for us now.”

“I hope so,” said Allie.

***

Two hours later, the semi came to a stop.

“We’re here,” said Travis, opening up the curtain.

“Thank goodness,” said Allie, laying her hand down. They’d been playing cards for the past hour and she’d lost interest in them forty-five minutes ago.

“What’s wrong with Justice?” asked Kylie, noticing that his head was still slumped forward in sleep.

Travis turned and laid a hand on Justice, whose head immediately lifted. “Wake up, son,” he said. “We’ve arrived.”

Justice nodded and mumbled something incoherent.

“Oh, my God!” cried Allie, looking over Justice’s shoulder at the view outside of the truck. “I never thought I’d see this place again.”

“What?” asked Kylie, moving in beside her. She leaned forward and smiled sadly. “Oh.”

“The Mall of America,” said Travis, as they stared at the entrance to the massive structure. “What a tragedy, huh?”

What was once an impressive infrastructure and one of the world’s largest malls in the world, was now just another victim in the zombie apocalypse. Glass doors were smashed, graffiti graced much of the outside walls, garbage, and what looked like human remains, lined the white sidewalks.

“It’s horrible,” shuddered Kylie, remembering how thrilling the mega-mall had seemed when she was little – especially the indoor amusement park, the numerous toy stores, and mouthwatering candy shops. Now, she’d never get a chance to try out the new rollercoaster or see another movie in the mall’s theater. Nothing would ever be the same. Not here or anywhere else, for that matter.

“Shall we get out of the truck?” asked Travis.

“What are we doing here?” asked Allie. “Getting supplies?”

“That, among other things,” said Dwayne with sly grin on his face.”

“What’s going on?” asked Kylie. “I thought you were going to bring us to Wolf Creek?”

“All in good time. First we have a very important meeting to attend,” said Travis, leaving the truck.

“A meeting? With whom?” asked Allie after she and Kylie jumped down from the cab.

“With others who want to join our cause,” smiled Travis. “You’re certainly invited. In fact, I insist that you come. It will be fairly enlightening.”

The girls looked at each other in confusion and then turned back to him. “I’m not sure what cause you’re talking about, but we really can’t stay,” said Allie. “We have to go find my sister as soon as possible. Is there any way that either of you could drive us to Wolf Creek?”

“Certainly,” said Dwayne. “Later.”

“When later?” she asked.

“After the meeting is over. After midnight.”

“But that’s too late!” Allie hurried over to Justice, who still looked disoriented and confused. “Justice, can you get us to my grandparents’ house sooner? Please? Maybe you can hotwire another car or something?” she said, looking around. They’d parked in a lot across from Nordstrom’s and there were plenty of abandoned vehicles to choose from.

He didn’t respond. Instead, he raised his hands and began staring at them as if he’d never seen them before.

“Uh, Justice?” she tried again, stepping closer. “Are you okay?”

“He’s fine,” said Travis, placing a hand on Justice’s back. “Just needs a little more fresh air. Isn’t that right, kid?”

“Yes,” said Justice, dropping his hands. “I just need a little more fresh air.”

“Okay, then can you help us?” asked Kylie.

Justice looked at Travis, who shook his head.

Allie scowled. “What’s happening here? Why are you acting so weird?”

“We can’t leave,” answered Justice, his eyes still transfixed on Travis. “I’m needed here.”

Frantic, Allie grabbed ahold of his arms and tried shaking him. “What in the world is wrong with you?”

Justice tilted his head and stared at her in confusion, his eyes dilated. “I’m needed here.”

“Oh, my God!” cried Kylie, pointing toward the road. “Zombies!”

Allie turned and gasped in shock.

“Ah, yes,” smiled Travis, nodding his head. “Some of the guests have already begun to arrive.”

The girls watched in horror as hundreds of zombies, in all of their decomposed glory, trudged through the streets toward them.

“We’ve got to get out of here!” hollered Allie, backing toward the semi. “Come on, you guys!”

“Relax,” said Travis, turning to her. “You have nothing to fear.”

“Uh, yes we do!” she cried. “And so do you!”

Kylie grabbed Justice’s arm and tugged. “Come on!”

He ignored her and watched the zombies creep closer.

“Justice!” she yelled. “They’re coming! You have no chance surviving that mob! Seriously!”

Still, he did not respond, nor did he make any move to follow her.

“They’re glorious, aren’t they?” smiled Travis, with a satisfied grin.

Kylie turned to him in disbelief. “Glorious? What are you talking about?”

“My soldiers. They’re almost perfect, actually.”

Believing that Travis had gone completely mad, Kylie tried one more time to pull Justice toward the truck, but he wouldn’t move.

“Come on!” hollered Allie, opening the semi door. “If he’s not joining us, there’s nothing more you can do. He’ll just have to take care of himself!”

“But –”

“Kylie! Look, he’s not listening to you and he’s obviously not going anywhere, but you have to! You can’t fight those things!”

“Justice!” sobbed Kylie. “Get into the truck!”

“Let him be,” said Travis, pulling her away. “He will not be persuaded.”

Kylie backed away and then quickly got into the truck with Allie.

Allie stared down at the three men incredulously. “What are you doing?” she screamed, through the window. “They’re going to kill you all!”

“Justice!” moaned Kylie, tears running down her cheek. “What’s wrong with you?”

The three men ignored the girls and watched as the zombies moved closer, making their familiar guttural noises. When they were less than twenty feet away, however, the zombies stopped moving and everything became silent.

Dead silent.

“Good!” hollered Travis after a few seconds. Then he walked back to the semi and climbed onto the hood of the truck until he was standing and facing the crowd. He raised his hands and smiled down at the horror that was watching him with attentiveness. “Yes, indeed, this is very good.”

18

Cassie

Nora finally took out her dad’s CD and we listened to it as we resumed our journey back to Minnesota. She sat in the front, staring out the window while Henry drove, his hands clutching the steering wheel so tightly, that I thought he worried the heavy metal music would somehow shake him off. He was a trooper, however, and didn’t complain, although I was sure the music was driving him crazy. When the last song ended, Henry removed the CD and handed it back to Nora.

“What did you think?” she asked him, trying to bite back a smile.

He cleared his throat. “Well, it was loud.”

She chuckled. “Yeah, I know. Not your type of music.”

“Well, now, I never said I didn’t like it. Fact is, I’m pretty hip about a lot of things.”

Nora and I both burst out laughing.

“What’s so funny?” he asked, his watery blue eyes twinkling.

“Hip?” I chuckled, still laughing at the old term. “Oh, come on, Henry. Wasn’t it just yesterday that you were complaining about the horrible music being made these days?”

“I will have you know that just because I’m seventy-five years old doesn’t mean my mind isn’t open to change or new ideas, Wild.”

“Now, Henry,” I said, “I thought you were eighty-something?”

He scowled. “Never assume anything. Didn’t I teach you that?” Henry reached into his pocket and pulled out his tin of chew. “Besides, eighty is the new seventy, Wild. Haven’t you heard?”

“Oh, of course.”

“So you really liked the CD?” asked Nora.

He shoved a wad of chew into his mouth. “No.”

“What did you think?” she asked, turning to look back at me.

“He’s very talented,” I said, although thrash metal wasn’t really my type of music, either.

She turned back around. “He’s more talented at making music than being a father,” she said softly.

Nora had told me once that her grandfather had died when her father had been very young, and they’d been very close. His death had almost destroyed the eight-year-old boy at the time.

“Maybe it had something to do with his dad dying so young. You said it messed him up pretty bad,” I said, putting my hand on her shoulder.

She stiffened up.

“Sorry,” I said, removing it.

“It’s okay,” she replied, turning back around. “I’m just kind of tense right now.”

“I understand,” I said. We were all pretty stressed out and on the edge.

“So, Nora, where do you think we might find your father?” asked Henry, opening his window.

“We should check my grandmother’s house,” she said. “I left him a note a few weeks ago. Said I’d try making it back there and that he should leave me a message if he made it.”

Henry spit out his wad of chew. “Sounds like a good plan. Wild, what about your grandparents?”

“We need to drive out to their house, see if they’re there.”

“You haven’t spoken to them since this mess started?” he asked.

“No. We tried calling them but they never answered their cell phone. My dad had told me they’d gotten the flu shot this year and I actually think he was afraid to search for them. If they would have been zombies…”

Henry nodded. “I know he wouldn’t have been able to shoot them. Sometimes it’s better to not know.”

“So, why are we searching for them if they had the flu shot?” asked Nora.

“Well, Allie and I both survived getting bitten by zombies. They might be immune to the virus as well.”

“What are you going to do if we find them and they’re not who you think they are anymore?” asked Henry.

My grandparents were kind and loving people. There was one thing I knew for certain – they’d rather die than hurt another living soul.

I sighed. “Lay them to rest.”

***

A couple hours later, we entered Minnesota and my heart began to race.

We were so close.

“Where should we go first?” asked Henry.

“Nora’s grandmother’s house,” I said, watching the raindrops on the windshield. Since the trip had been her idea, it was only right.

“You sure?” she asked.

“Yep. Let’s go find your dad before we lose him again.”

She nodded. “Thanks, Wild.”

“Don’t thank me. This entire road trip was your idea and I should be thanking you, especially if we find my grandparents alive.”

“If they’re alive, we’ll find them,” said Nora. “We won’t stop looking for them, either.”

I smiled.

“You guys want to listen to my dad’s CD again?” asked Nora.

“No!” both Henry and I answered in unison.

She chuckled. “You guys are wimps,” she said, playing with the dials. When she pushed the FM button by accident, we heard a man’s deep voice being broadcasted over the airwaves. We stared at each other in shock and turned up the volume.

“The time has come for the remaining survivors to form a stronghold against the zombies. We need to band together and take back what is ours,” he said. “So if you’re out there, find us, and join us.”

“Yeah but where are you?” whispered Nora.

The man kept talking about having a generous food and water supply that they were willing to share as well, if and when other survivors showed up to join their cause.

“Get on with it,” mumbled Henry. “Can’t find you if you don’t tell us where you’re at.”

Then, as if the man had heard him, he announced where their bunker was.

My jaw dropped.

“The Mall of America,” said Nora, turning down the radio. “How in the world could anyone secure that place? There are too many doorways. They’d have to kill all the zombies and then board up every one of those glass doorways.”

“Anything is possible,” said Henry. “Besides, most of the zombies were sick people before they turned. Probably weren’t many of them hanging out at the mall with the flu.”

“Yeah, right. My sister wouldn’t let a little vomiting or fever keep her from shopping if she had the money and the vehicle to get her there. I’ll bet there were plenty of zombies wandering the mall before these guys secured it,” I said.

“This is good news,” said Nora. “If we can’t find our relatives at their homes, there may be a chance they’ve joined this Minnesota survivor’s group.”

“You might be right,” said Henry. “But it still sounds a little too good to be true.”

“I know. But at least we have another place to check if we can’t find our families,” I said.

“Damn tootin’. Plus, I could use me a new change of clothes if we do make it to this mall. The ones I’m wearing are about ready to get up and walk away on their own.”

“Yeah,” said Nora. “You’re starting to smell as bad as the zombies.”

“It’s all a part of my camouflage,” smiled Henry. “Blend in with their smell and they can’t even tell I’m alive. Hell, I’ve got one foot in the grave as it is.”

“Oh brother,” sighed Nora.

I shook his shoulder playfully. “You do not have one foot in the grave. Quit talking that way.”

“I tell you one thing,” said Henry. “Dying doesn’t scare me anymore, Wild. Dying before I have the chance to get you girls safely back to Atlanta, now that’s what scares the tar out of me. I don’t want to let you down.”

“You could never let us down,” I said. “Now quit talking about dying.”

“Well, I just want you both to know, I’ve got your backs.”

“We’ve got yours, too,” I said.

He nodded but said nothing more, which was a relief, because this melancholy side of him made me feel guilty. Back at the hotel, he’d obviously felt secure and happy for the first time in weeks. But then he’d decided to be a hero, just to keep the two of us safe from harm. If anything happened to him, I’d never forgive myself, and either would Nora.

“Thanks, Henry,” I said.

“For what?” he asked, glancing at me in his rearview mirror.

“Everything. For being there for me every time I’ve needed you. Starting from that very first time we met. When I rear-ended you.”

His eyes sparkled. “Too bad I couldn’t have been there for you when you were learning how to drive.”

19

Bryce

When Bryce made it back to the marina, Paige and Billie were nowhere to be found.

“Billie!” he hollered, stepping away from the SUV. “Paige!”

He heard a faint cry on the other side of the marina where some of the larger boats were docked, and immediately took off toward the sound. When he arrived, he found Paige, Billie, and a dead woman’s bloody corpse lying nearby.

“Thank God,” cried Paige, who was crouched down next to Billie.

“What happened?!” hollered Bryce, rushing over to him. “Oh shit, were you bit?”

He was lying on his side with blood seeping out of a wound on his neck. “Yeah,” he whispered in a hoarse voice.

Bryce took off his T-shirt and pressed it against Billie’s neck. He looked at Paige. “What happened to him?”

She swallowed. “When you were on the boat, about five zombies appeared out of nowhere, surprised the crap out of us. I think they were heading toward the river like the other ones, you know? Anyway, we ran away from them and back here. Then, when we were about to get back into the SUV, Billie thought he heard a baby crying so we both rushed over here.”

“Zombies?”

“Yeah, well, two of them were on this woman,” she said, her eyes full of tears. “It was,” she shuddered, “horrible and too late, you know?”

“So, how did they get Billie?”

“Well, he slipped on the wet dock and they...” she closed her eyes and began to cry, “they pounced on him before he could shoot or I could do anything to stop them.”

“What happened to the zombies?” he asked, looking around.

“I… I… killed them,” she said, opening her eyes. “And pushed them into the water.”

“It’s so hot,” whispered Billie, his face pale. “My skin feels like it’s on fire.”

“You’re going to be okay,” said Bryce, forcing a smile. “We’re going to bring you back with us and get this little wound of yours taken care of. It’s really not that bad.”

“No,” whispered Billie, grabbing Bryce’s wrist. “Too… dangerous. I can already feel the virus spreading through my veins.”

“Don’t argue,” said Bryce. “You’re going to be fine. Cassie beat this thing, and so will you.”

Billie’s eyes began to close. “Save the baby,” he whispered.

Bryce’s eyebrows shot up. “Baby, what baby?”

“On the boat…”

“Hold this,” he said to Paige, motioning toward the shirt.

She nodded and took over while Bryce stood up and walked toward the Carver.

“I don’t think there’s a baby around here, guys,” said Bryce, climbing onto the deck.

And that’s when they both heard it, a faint cry from somewhere inside the cabin.

Bryce opened up the door and disappeared inside. Seconds later he reappeared, his face full of shock. In his arms was a bundle of what was obviously more than just a pile of blankets.

“Oh, my God,” gasped Paige, when the baby began to cry, its little arms flailing angrily.

Bryce sighed. “Yeah. A baby.”

“Crap, what are we going to do?”

“I’m going to give you the baby and make sure you two get back to the vehicle safely. Then I’ll come back for Billie, before the rain gets any worse.”

“Is it safe?” she asked, staring down at Billie.

Bryce’s lips thinned. “I don’t know. But we just can’t leave him. He’s alive right now. Plus, he’s one of us. We’re not leaving anyone behind.”

“You could tie him up somehow,” said Paige standing.

He smiled grimly. “Good thinking.”

She held out her arms and Bryce placed the infant into them. “Oh,” she smiled, staring down at the small baby, who couldn’t have been more than a couple months old, “she’s so sweet.”

“How do you know it’s a she?” asked Bryce, kneeling down next to Billie.

Paige kissed the baby’s forehead. “Because,” she said, softening her voice, “she obviously cries when you hold her and now that I’ve got her, she’s content. You have that effect on women.”

Bryce rolled his eyes.

“See, she’s smiling at me,” said Paige.

“What do we need for the baby?” he asked. “Don’t babies need diapers and milk or something?”

“Diapers and formula,” said Paige. “We’re going to have to pick some up somewhere.”

“I’ll search the boat after everyone is safe. Let’s get you both to the SUV first.”

They were back on the road thirty minutes later, with Billie restrained in the back with buoy rope.

“They had a first-aid kit,” said Bryce. “I put some iodine on his neck and bandaged it up. He’s got a fever, though, and I couldn’t find any aspirin.”

“What about things for the baby?”

“Well, there was only a handful of diapers and I couldn’t find any formula on the boat. We’re still going to have to stop somewhere.”

“We need a car seat, too,” said Paige, staring down at the baby, who was sleeping. “It’s against the law to be traveling like this.”

Bryce snorted. “What law?”

“I know, but we still need it. It’s safer.”

They found a small grocery store on the edge of town, which appeared quiet and free of zombies.

“Stay out here with her. I’ll be back,” said Bryce, grabbing the gun.

“What if he changes into a zombie?” she whispered.

“He’s tied up. Even if he does, he can’t get to you.”

Paige sighed. “Poor Billie.”

“He might make it through this. Don’t give up hope just yet.”

“God, I hope you’re right.”

“I’ll get some peroxide for his wound and more bandages. Obviously they won’t have any car seats, but they’ll hopefully have formula.”

“We can always find another vehicle with a car seat,” she said, looking hopeful.

“Keep a lookout for one then.”

Bryce got out of the SUV and Paige watched as he ran into the store through the rain. Unfortunately, even from this distance, she could tell that the place had already been ransacked by other survivors. She hoped none of them had babies.

“What’s your name, little one?” she whispered, staring down at the sleeping baby. “I guess you’re too young to tell me.”

“Paige,” mumbled Billie, from the back.

She stiffened up. “Uh, yeah, Billie?”

“Why are my hands tied?”

“You were bit by a zombie, remember?”

He didn’t say anything.

“Billie?”

“Yeah.”

“Are you okay?”

“I’ve felt better.”

“Um, you were right about the baby.”

“What baby?” he asked, struggling to sit up.

She turned around. “The baby on the boat. Don’t you remember?”

“No.”

The only thing he could remember was getting bitten by the zombie and then the intense heat. Even now he could still feel the fire raging through his veins.

“You don’t look so good.”

“I feel like shit. Do you have any water?”

“No, but we’re at a grocery store. Bryce should be back in a few minutes.”

Billie turned and stared at the building. “He went in alone?”

“Well, I certainly couldn’t go in with the baby.”

“You could have left the baby in here.”

Not with you, she thought. After what had happened to Austin, there was no way she was going to take any chances around Billie.

“Looks like he found what we needed,” she said, relieved to see Bryce leaving the store with a large box of diapers and a bag.

“Hey, bro,” said Bryce, opening up the back of the SUV. “How are you feeling?”

“Not good.”

“Fortunately for you, I found some pain medication and a bottle of seltzer water. Everything else was pretty much picked over by looters.”

“Looks like the looters didn’t need diapers,” said Paige.

“Or formula,” said Bryce, setting down the bag. “I wasn’t sure which kind to get so I grabbed a couple different kinds along with some plastic bottles. Oh, and wet-wipes.”

Paige glanced down at the baby, who was beginning to get restless. “Um, I have a feeling we’re going to need a lot of things. Things we’re forgetting. Well, my mom will know what to do once we get the baby back to her.”

“I’m sure you’re right,” said Bryce. “I still remember when Bobby was a baby, seems like we went through diapers and formula like water. Speaking of which, I did find some distilled water in the back of the store. I’ll have to go back for it.”

“Bryce, you gotta untie me, man.”

He sighed. “I just can’t. It’s for everyone’s safety.”

“Dammit, I’m not turning into one of them,” he snapped. “Take off the rope!”

Paige and Bryce looked at each other. It was obvious that Billie was already showing signs of aggression.

“Settle down. We have to wait until we get back to the house,” said Bryce.

Billie clenched his jaw. “This is bullshit.”

“Sorry. Here,” he said, opening up the bottle of pills. “Take a couple of these and try to sleep. Your body needs it.”

“Fine,” said Billie, opening up his mouth.

Bryce quickly pushed the pills in and then opened up the seltzer water. “You’re going to be all right.”

“She’s getting mad up here,” said Paige as the baby began to fret. “We need to mix some formula.”

Bryce nodded. “Okay,” I’ll be back.” Then he closed the back of the SUV and ran back toward the store.

“Paige,” said Billie. “I have to pee.”

“Why didn’t you tell Bryce when he was still here?”

“Because I wasn’t thinking about it at the time.”

“Sorry, you’re going to have to hold it.”

“Thanks.”

“What the heck do you want me to do about it?” she snapped back. “I have to take care of… Adria here.”

“Adria?”

“Yeah, the baby. She needs a name and that one seems to suit her,” she said, staring into the baby’s blue eyes. A smile spread across her plump cheeks and Paige grinned back. “I think you like that name, don’t you, sweetie?”

“Paige, I really need to go.”

“Bryce will be back in a flash. Hold it.”

“Jesus, you two are both being totally unreasonable.”

She turned back. “No, you are. You’d do the same thing in our position. I mean, seriously, you’re being irrational right now.”

Billie didn’t reply, he just laid his head against the back window and stared out into the night.

The rain began to pick up again as Bryce pushed a cart filled with five jugs of water toward the SUV.

“Billie has to pee,” said Paige, when he opened the back.

Bryce sighed. “Okay. Let me load this stuff and then I’ll help you.”

“Just untie me and I’ll do it myself,” said Billie.

“We already went through this,” replied Bryce.

“Dude, you’re not going to help me pee. It’s just not going to happen.”

Bryce sighed. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. Look, I’ll untie you for this but after that, we have to restrain you again.”

“Fine,” said Billie, glaring at him.

Bryce pulled out his knife and began cutting Billie’s rope. “Good thing I brought extra.”

“Bryce! Look out behind you!” yelled Paige.

Two zombies were staggering toward him in the parking lot. He quickly turned around and rushed the zombies, stabbing the first one in the head. Before he could get to the second one, Billie appeared by his side with a long wrench and smashed it against the zombie’s skull.

“Thanks,” said Bryce, as the zombie slumped forward.

“See, if I was turning into one of these, I’d be going after you and not those zombies.”

“Right. Uh, why don’t you go behind that car and pee while I get the formula to Paige.”

Billie nodded and walked away.

“What do you think?” asked Paige, when Bryce got back to the SUV. “Is it safe to let him go unrestrained?”

“I don’t know. Probably not.”

When Billie made it back to the truck, he ignored the trunk compartment and sat behind Paige. “Let’s go.”

Bryce sighed. “We have to tie you up, man. Sorry.”

“No. I’m not going to agree to that. Either you trust me or leave me the hell here.”

Bryce and Paige looked at each other.

“For the love of God, just relax. I’m not going to bite you guys. Aren’t you the one that said Cassie pulled through?”

“Yeah, but Eva didn’t,” said Paige. “And either did Austin. Both of them became hostile and angry. Kind of like you’re doing right now, Billie.”

He smiled humorlessly. “Wow, Paige. Thanks for stomping out any bright hope I may have had for my future.”

“Well, it’s the truth,” she mumbled.

Bryce rubbed his forehead. “Look, fine, we’ll keep you untied. But if you feel like you’re losing your grip on reality, let us know, will you?”

Billie snorted and then looked out the window. “I’ve felt like that before any zombie ever got to me.”

“How’s your neck feeling?” asked Bryce, starting the engine.

“It still hurts like a son-of-a-bitch. But it’s a little more manageable now that the pills are kicking in.”

“Good,” he replied.

“You never told us what happened on the yacht,” said Paige.

He pulled out of the parking lot and zigzagged around a couple of zombies. “They weren’t there, but some friends of theirs were.”

“Did they happen to tell you where Steve and Irene are?” she asked.

He ran a hand through his wet hair. “Yeah, they left for Atlanta about three weeks ago.”

“No shit?” asked Billie.

“No shit. This entire trip is basically a waste of time.”

“Only if Nora doesn’t find her father,” said Billie.

“Exactly,” he replied. “Let’s hope she does.”

20

Allie and Kylie

“How is Travis doing all of this?” asked Allie, staring out the window of the semi as more zombies arrived to join the others. “And what in the heck is wrong with Justice?”

“I have no idea,” said Kylie. “But there’s one thing for certain…”

“We’re not in Kansas anymore?”

“That and we’re in a crap-load of trouble. This guy is obviously dangerous. I actually think that he has some kind of hypnotic power over the zombies and Justice.”

“He must, but how could he?”

“I don’t know. Maybe he’s not human.”

Allie smiled humorlessly. “Maybe he’s some kind of angel who’s come to save us all from the zombies.”

“Or maybe he’s from the other place and wants to take over the world.”

Allie started laughing but stopped when she noticed that Kylie was serious. The hair stood up on the back of her neck as she thought about everything that had happened in the last few weeks.

Obviously, at this point, anything was possible.

“So, um, you really think he’s the Devil or something?”

“I… don’t know, maybe,” she said, her eyes full of fear.

“He’s been nice, though. I mean if he was Satan, wouldn’t he have tried killing us or something?”

“Or, he’d try to use us somehow,” whispered Kylie, as if Travis could actually hear them from outside.

“Not me,” she whispered back. “I won’t let him.”

They stared at Travis, who was still talking to the zombies, although they couldn’t hear what he was saying. They’d shut the windows when the stench of the dead had become too much to handle.

Allie licked her lips. “Kylie, how are we going to get out of here?”

“I don’t know.”

“I wonder if we could sneak away while the zombies are like this? They seem really into what Travis is saying.”

“I can’t believe they’re actually listening to him.”

“I know, but seriously, now would be a good time to leave.”

“I don’t know if we should take that chance. Plus, we can’t leave Justice.”

“Justice has obviously left the building.”

“No, I think if we can just get him alone, we can bring him back to reality,” said Kylie.

“I hope so.”

Just then, Travis stopped talking and the zombies began to disperse.

“What’s going on now?” whispered Allie, as Travis climbed off of the truck. “Where are they going?”

“I don’t know.”

Travis opened the passenger door of the truck and smiled. “Time to get out, ladies.”

“Um, we’d like to stay inside, if you don’t mind,” said Kylie.

He stared at them for a few seconds and then nodded. “If that’s what you want.”

“How did you do that?” sputtered Allie.

His eyes twinkled. “Do what?”

She waved toward the zombies. “Talk to them. Get them to come here?”

He leaned forward. “Because I have been chosen to prepare this part of the world.”

Kylie’s eyes narrowed. “Prepare this part of the world? For what?”

He sighed, impatiently. “I have been chosen by my Master to prepare the world for the day of his arrival.”

“Whose arrival?” asked Allie, her heart hammering in her chest.

He smiled darkly. “Lucifer, child. Who else?”

21

Cassie

“It looks pretty quiet,” said Henry, as they parked outside of Nora’s grandmother’s house – a small bungalow nestled between two very old willow trees.

Nora opened the passenger door. “It always looked this way.”

There were no vehicles parked near the house, which I figured was a fairly bad sign. “Sorry, Nora, I don’t think he’s here,” I said, getting out of the truck.

“Yeah, I know. I don’t either,” she said, walking toward the front door. “But that doesn’t mean he won’t show up at one point. I’ll leave him another note, tell him that we’re going to the Mall of America.”

“Just hold up there, toots,” said Henry, shuffling toward her with his shotgun. “Let me go in first, in case there are any uninvited guests. I’ll introduce them to my double-barrel.”

“Henry, we got this,” said Nora, walking up the stairway to the porch.

He followed her. “And I’ve got the gun, now step aside.”

Sighing, Nora moved out of the way and Henry put his hand on the doorknob.

“It’s locked,” he said.

Sighing, Nora stepped off the porch and then went around the back of the house. A few seconds later, she returned, holding a key. “Grams always kept a spare under the birdbath,” she said with a sad smile.

“Smart woman,” said Henry.

Nora slid the key in and unlocked it. Then she stepped out of the way.

“Just stay behind me,” ordered Henry. “And you’ll be safe.”

They stepped into a small, cluttered living room.

“Your grandma liked fairies?” asked Henry, staring at the two large glass curios containing dozens of small figurines.

“Wow,” I said, glancing toward several shelves that contained fairies of every shape, size, and color.

Nora nodded. “That’s why she didn’t freak out when I got my fairy tattoo. She actually thought it was cool.”

“Sounds like your grandma was pretty hip,” said Henry.

“She was,” said Nora. “It’s just a shame that she was frightened of the outside world.”

“What do you mean?” asked Henry.

“She had Agoraphobia,” said Nora. “She was afraid to go anywhere beyond this house.”

“I once knew someone with that phobia,” said Henry. “It was weird, though. The woman never mentioned it until I called her for a second date – said it had flared back up and she couldn’t leave the house.”

I thought he was joking and had to bite back a smile when I noticed he was dead serious.

A noise from somewhere in the back of the house startled us.

“Sounds like a zombie,” whispered Henry, when they heard it again – a loud, gurgling moan. “What’s back there, Nora?”

“Dammit, that’s my bedroom,” whispered Nora.

Henry raised his gun. “Stay behind.”

We followed Henry down the hallway until we reached Nora’s bedroom. He put his hand on the door and took a deep breath.

“Get ready,” I whispered to Nora.

He threw open the door and we all gasped in horror.

“Oh, my God,” choked Nora as she stared at the gruesome scene. “Daddy!”

Her father, who I knew only from his album covers, was lying on the bed, his lifeless eyes staring up at the ceiling. Standing over him was Nora’s grandmother, snacking heartily on his entrails. She turned, and when she noticed us gaping at her, dropped her meal.

“Stand back!” hollered Henry, pointing the rifle.

“No!” hollered Nora, pushing him away.

“Nora, it’s not really your grandma anymore!” I yelled as the creature shuffled toward us.

Sobbing, Nora took out her knife and went after the zombie. With a quick jab to her forehead, Nora stabbed the zombie and it fell face-forward onto the ground. “I’m sorry,’’ she whispered, going down onto her knees. She turned her grandmother’s still form over, wiped the blood away from her mouth with a blanket that had fallen, and closed her eyelids. “I’ll never forget you, Grams,” she said, swiping at the fresh tears on her cheeks.

“God, Nora,” I said, feeling my own eyes fill up. “I’m so sorry.”

She didn’t say anything. Instead, she stood up and walked over to her father. “He came back for me,” she said, her lips trembling. She reached over and grabbed a blanket, covering his mutilated torso. She then ran a hand over his long, dark hair and smiled bitterly. “I can’t believe it.”

“He did,” said Henry. “See, Nora, your dad loved you.”

She nodded and closed her father’s eyelids. Then she kissed the top of his head. “I loved you, too, dad,” she said.

All three of us stood there in silence for a while, until Nora cleared her throat. “Okay. Enough of this; being a sniveling sap isn’t going to help matters. Let’s go.”

“Okay,” I said.

When we got back out to the truck, she stared at the house and her eyes filled with angry tears once again. “My fault, you know. I should have checked the basement.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

She laid her head back on the headrest and closed her eyes. “Before I left for Atlanta. I knew she’d gotten the flu shot – she’d told me that a nurse had come to the house and given it to her earlier in the week. Well, when the zombies started waking up all over town, and I couldn’t find Grams at the house, I assumed she’d turned and just walked away in search of food. But, I didn’t check the basement.”

“You couldn’t have known,” I said.

She let out a ragged sigh. “But it had bugged me later, after I left the house. I almost went back to check but then I was in too much of a hurry.”

“It’s not your fault,” said Henry. “Don’t go blaming yourself for any of this.”

“Yeah, but he’d obviously been searching for me when she killed him.”

“Of course he was,” he said. “Because he loved you, Nora. But don’t you, for one second, think that any of this was your fault, including his death. He let his guard down and that’s not something any of us can afford to do. Especially when nobody is around to watch our back.”

She wiped her cheeks and sat up straighter. “I know, it’s just that we were so close to finding him. If we wouldn’t have wasted so much time at the church, but,” her face darkened, “that asshole Travis and his sidekick, Dweeb. As far as I’m concerned, it’s their fault that my father died the way he did.”

“Well, they did slow us up a bit,” said Henry, taking out his can of chew.

She tapped her fingernails on the side of the door and nodded. “Yeah, if I ever see those two evil assholes again, I’m gonna send them where they belong. To Hell.”

“Hey, let’s hope we don’t,” I said. That Travis really scared the hell out of me.

“But if we do,” she said. “I’m going to make sure they pay heavily for threatening the lives of those kids and slowing us down. They’ll be begging me for mercy before I’m done with them.”

“Oh, Nora,” chuckled Henry. “Chances are we’ll never see them again.”

“Probably not, but there’s always hope,” she said, closing her eyes.

Funny how the things we hope for can come back to haunt us.

22

Bryce

“They’re back,” said Tiny.

Kristie, who’d fallen asleep in a recliner, opened her eyes. “Which ones?” she asked, standing up.

“Paige and Bryce,” he said, staring out the window. “Looks like Paige has… oh wow… a baby.”

“A baby?” gasped Kristie. “What the hell? They weren’t even gone that long!”

Tiny chuckled and followed her out of the house.

Kristie stormed over to Paige and pointed at her. “First of all, young lady, I am so pissed off with you right now I could just scream.”

“Chill out, mom, and look at what we brought you,” smiled Paige.

Kristie’s face softened as Paige handed her the baby. “Where did you find this little one?” she asked in a softer tone.

“Long story,” said Bryce, moving next to Kristie. The baby stared up at him and her lip began to tremble.

“Back away from the baby,” said Paige. “You know she doesn’t like you.”

“She does so like me,” said Bryce, scowling.

The baby started crying and Bryce stalked away.

“See,” said Paige. “You scare her, karate man. Just keep your distance.”

“Oh… it’s okay, sweetie,” cooed Kristie. “Aren’t you just the cutest little thing?”

The baby stopped crying and smiled up at Kristie, whose heart immediately melted.

“So, can we keep her?” asked Paige.

“Well, babies are a lot of work, honey,” said Kristie. “And they need a lot of attention. I just don’t know...”

Bryce rubbed a hand over his face. “Hello! It’s not like we can just drop her off anywhere. Obviously, we’re going to have to keep her.”

“You are crabby, aren’t you?” chuckled Kristie.

“You would be too if you had to risk your life getting diapers and formula. I didn’t expect to do that this soon in life. It’s very… sobering.”he sighed.  even wined cigarrettes.t a glass of wine at night can make everything not quite so...ed on.11111111111111111111111

“Hey, where’s Billie?” asked Tiny.

“He must have fallen asleep again,” said Bryce. “He was bitten by a zombie.”

“What!” snapped Kristie.

Bryce went over the events as they unfolded, starting with finding Paige in the SUV.

“You think he’s going to change into a zombie?” asked Tiny.

“I really don’t know,” said Bryce. “He was feverish and in a lot of pain. Fortunately, he didn’t lose as much blood as I originally thought.”

“What should we do?” asked Kristie, staring toward the SUV.

“I don’t know. I have enough things to worry about. This is your call,” said Bryce.

“Just keep a close eye on him,” said Tiny. “We’ll take turns watching him. After what happened to that crazy broad, Eva, I’m not taking any chances.”

“And don’t forget about Austin,” said Paige. “He blew up your gas station.”

He sighed. “That’s right. We can’t afford to take our eyes off of him. You guys with me?’

“Definitely,” said Bryce. “In fact, I’ll take the first shift.”

“Let’s get him into the house,” said Tiny.

“You’re grounded, by the way,” said Kristie, placing the baby on her shoulder and bouncing her gently.

Paige frowned. “You can’t ground me, mother.”

“The hell I can’t.”

“I’m eighteen.”

“Then act your age and quit adding more trouble to our situation. You put yourself, as well as these guys, in more danger when you snuck off like that.”

“If it wasn’t for me, Billie might have died and the baby as well!”

“Paige –”

“No!” hollered Paige. “Quit treating me like I’m some kind of princess! I’m a grown woman, with opinions, a temper, and a hell of a right hook.”

“Yes, I know,” said Kristie, “but –”

“No buts, mother. Look at me! I’m not a little girl anymore. In fact, what I am is… a soldier, one who’s killed more people in the last few weeks than a freaken’ serial killer would in a lifetime, and I don’t know about you, but I’m handling it pretty damn well.”

“Yes, honey, I know. I just don’t want anything happening to you. I’d never forgive myself.”

“Nothing will. Look, I wasn’t born yesterday and I’m not going to put myself in a situation I know I can’t handle. You just have to have a little more faith in me, mom. Seriously.”

Kristie sighed. “Fine, but no more lying or sneaking around.”

“And no more sheltering me from the world,” said Paige. “Not only is it annoying, but it’s degrading.”

“I’ll try, really I will. I just don’t want to lose you.”

“You won’t,” she said, softening her voice.

Kristie stared at her intently and then sighed. “Fine. You’re growing up and there’s nothing I can do to stop it. Look, I’ll ease up on you and even give you a little more space.”

“I guess that’s all I can ask,” she said, walking back toward the house.

Kristie shook her head and looked at Tiny. “You know, when I was a teenager, all my mother had to worry about was me sneaking off to go to a party or getting knocked up by one of my dates. Hell, that’s nothing compared to this shit. I have to worry about my daughters sneaking off like freedom fighters in the middle of the night, and whether or not they took the right weapon to bludgeon a damn zombie to death. And now,” she said, looking down at the baby in her arms. “Another little princess has been delivered to my doorstep. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.”

“Sounds like someone above thinks you’re a pretty good mother,” said Tiny, putting an arm around her.

“Or he’s making me pay for all the hell I raised when I was a kid. Is that it, honey?” she asked the baby, who was stared up at her. “Is this my penance for all the trouble I gave my own mother?”

The baby grinned.

***

“Let me guess,” said Billie, who was lying down in the guestroom of the house, “you’re my babysitter.”

Bryce sat down on the floor and leaned his head against the wall. “We just want to keep an eye on you, bro. Just in case.”

“Just in case,” smirked Billie. “Well, it’s kind of unnerving, you know. Everyone keeps looking at me like they don’t know me. Like I’m going to turn on them and rip their throat out.”

He opened up a bottle of water and took a sip. “You’re overdramatizing everything. They’re a little worried, but they still care about you, man. Just chill out.”

Billie closed his eyes. “This is a nightmare. I just can’t believe one of those things got to me.”

“Yeah, it was a bad scene. I’m sorry I took so long on the boat.”

“It wasn’t your fault,” he said, opening his eyes back up. “I slipped and fell. End of story.”

“But still…”

“Look, Paige was right there and she couldn’t stop it from happening either. The zombie was fast, man.”

Bryce took another sip of his water and noticed the sweat on Billie’s forehead. “You okay? You want something to drink?”

“Actually, yeah. I’m parched. I think I need some more aspirin, too. My fever must be coming back in full force.”

Bryce stood up. “Okay,” he said. “Don’t go anywhere.”

Billie closed his eyes. “I’m not planning on it.”

Bryce left the room and walked to the kitchen, where he found Tiny staring out the window. “What’s up?”

“I don’t want to go freaking anyone out,” he whispered. “But I think someone’s out there. And I’m not just talking zombies.”

Bryce moved to the window and looked out into the backyard. “What did you see?”

“I saw movement. By the shed.”

Both men stood staring out the window, when they heard Kristie scream.

Tiny bolted out of the kitchen and down the hallway to the living room.

“Tiny, oh my God, he took the baby!” cried Kristie, who was alone by the front door.

“Who?” asked Bryce.

“Billie! I was rocking her in the chair when he rushed out of the bedroom, snatched her out of my arms, and then took off running outside.”

Bryce ran out the door and toward the dark street. Hearing the baby’s cries, he turned toward the sound and in the distance he could see Billie’s silhouette.

“Billie!” he hollered, racing toward him.

Billie ignored him and kept running.

“What the hell, Billie?!” he yelled again, the distance between them getting shorter. “Stop!”

Just then, a vehicle turned the corner and headlights lit up the road. Billie stopped running and turned back to face Bryce.

“What are you doing, man?” asked Bryce, stopping a few feet away.

Billie’s eyes were bloodshot and his skin was almost a grayish color. “Have to bring him the baby. Have to bring him the baby. Have to…”

“Whoa,” said Bryce, holding up his hands. “Just calm down.”

The vehicle, a Honda Odyssey, stopped and the doors flew open.

“Bryce!” yelled Cassie, rushing toward him.

“Thank God,” sighed Bryce, as she threw herself in his arms. He closed his eyes and released a ragged sigh.

“Billie?” smiled Nora.

“Wait! Don’t go near him!” yelled Bryce, opening his eyes. He turned to her and held out a hand. “Nora, please, don’t get near him, he’s been bitten and is starting to act crazy.”

Nora’s face fell. “What?”

Henry slammed the door of the truck and slowly walked toward them. “What’s that?”

Nora took a step forward. “Billie?”

“What are you doing with that baby, Billie?” asked Henry, spitting out a wad of chew.

Billie stared at them, his eyes wild and his face covered in perspiration. “I’m… I have to take her to him… all the babies have to be found and taken to him.”

“Who’s him?” asked Henry.

Billie opened his mouth, but instead of answering, began running with the baby again.

“Billie!” hollered Nora, taking off after him.

Bryce and Cassie quickly followed suit.

***

Billie ran, clutching the baby tighter. He didn’t exactly understand why he felt such an overwhelming urge take her south, or who “he” was, but the desperation seemed to consume him.

“Stop, Billie!” yelled Nora.

Nora.

His muddled mind cleared slightly and his heart began to swell. He stopped and then turned to find himself looking down into her eyes.

God, he’d missed her.

“Give me the baby,” she demanded, holding out her arms.

“No, I can’t. I have to do this.”

Swearing under her breath, she reached out and tried to grab the baby herself.

“No!” he growled, backhanding her.

She fell to the ground and then quickly got back up. “You asshole,” she snarled, “nobody hits me! I don’t care how many times we’ve made out!”

“I… I’m sorry,” he said, horrified of what he’d just done.

Bring the child, demanded the voice in his head.

He turned to run, again, when someone grabbed his arm, yanking him backwards.

“Thank you,” said Cassie, snatching the baby from his arms while Bryce subdued him with a strangle-hold.

“Let me go,” he pleaded, his voice hoarse. “I have to bring the baby to him.”

“Bullshit,” snarled Nora, storming toward him. “Let him go, Bryce.”

Bryce released him and the last thing he remembered before the darkness came, was Nora’s foot slamming into his chin.

23

Cassie

“Don’t you ever leave me again,” he whispered into my hair.

“Bryce,” I said, “I can’t breathe.”

He loosened his arms around my waist and sighed. “What were you thinking? Seriously, what were you thinking?”

I stepped back, avoiding his eyes. “Don’t start with me.”

“They’re in Atlanta, you know. Your grandparents. If you wouldn’t have taken off the way you did, you’d probably be reunited as we speak.”

“Atlanta is a big city, Bryce. Chances are we wouldn’t have passed each other on the streets.”

“Your sister is still out there.”

My heart stopped.

My sister?

I looked up at him in horror. “What?”

“Guess you two have more in common than you thought. She left with Kylie and Luke, to search for you.”

“When?” I asked.

“Right after you left.”

“Oh, my God,” I moaned, closing my eyes. “It’s too dangerous for those girls to be out on the road.”

He nodded. “Exactly. Too dangerous for all of you. My only consolation was that you had Henry backing you up. Luke, though, Luke is just a kid.”

“We have to find them,” I said, storming out of the bedroom.

I had to find her.

My little sister.

He followed me. “Yeah, well we’ve been trying to do that without any luck. I think we should stick around here, see if they show up, like you guys just did. I think our odds are better there.”

I began to pace. “I just found her and now she’s missing again? And now Kylie, too! Oh, my God, what were they thinking?”

“What were they thinking? Isn’t it obvious?”

I stopped. “What, that she feels like I abandoned her?”

“Those are your words, not mine. Obviously, she loves you and wants to be with you.”

Sitting down in the armchair, I put my head in my hands. “I don’t know what to do now.”

“Like I said, we wait here for a few days and see if she shows up.”

I nodded and stood up. “Okay. Meanwhile, I’m going to the Mall of America.”

His eyes widened. “Excuse me? Now isn’t the time to shop for a new purse.”

I told him about the man on the radio and how they were urging other survivors to join them. “Maybe the girls heard him, too, and decided to go there first?”

“Maybe. Well, obviously I’m coming with you,” he said.

Just then, Paige walked into the living room. “Okay, where are you going now?”

I told her what we’d heard on the radio and she immediately volunteered to join us.

“You should stay here,” said Bryce.

She glared at him. “Don’t tell me what to do. Kylie is my sister and I’m leaving here with you guys.”

“She should come,” I said. Paige had already gone off on me about leaving her behind in Atlanta and I wasn’t about to piss her off again. Besides, it was her sister that was missing, just like mine.

Bryce sighed. “Fine.”

“Well, Billie is still unconscious,” said Kristie, walking into the room. “We have him tied up and Nora is watching him.”

“What in the hell was he doing with Adria?” asked Paige. “Is he going crazy or something?”

Bryce shrugged. “I don’t know. He’s been acting strange ever since that zombie bit him.”

“A zombie bit him? How long ago?” I asked.

“About four hours,” answered Bryce.

I closed my eyes and sighed.

Poor Billie.

My fault.

“Nora is pretty distraught,” said Kristie. “First, seeing her father, and now Billie. I think she really cares about him.”

“Has he been showing signs of aggression or other disturbing behavior?” I asked, opening my eyes.

“Stealing a baby and running off into the night, that’s pretty disturbing,” said Bryce. “He was also mumbling something about taking the baby to ‘him.’ We just can’t trust Billie anymore.”

“He might pull through this,” I said. “Allie and I did.”

“Maybe. But for now we’re going to have to watch him closely and keep him away from the baby,” said Kristie. “Where’s Henry and Adria?”

“I think they’re outside on the porch,” I said. “Watching the sunrise together.”

Kristie smiled. “Did you see the way his eyes lit up when Adria smiled at him?”

“He loves children,” I said, and then told her about our ordeal at the church.

Paige scowled. “What kind of a person would try to torch a church?”

“And one filled with children,” I added. “God, I hope Allie and Kylie don’t run into these guys. The chances are slim, but…”

“Which way were these two knuckleheads traveling?” asked Kristie.

“I have no idea,” I said.

“Well, let’s get going,” said Bryce. “We shouldn’t waste any more time.”

Kristie’s eyebrows shot up. “Where in the hell are you going now?”

I filled her in on the radio transmission.

“You think Allie and Kylie might have gone out there to meet that guy?”

“I don’t know, but it’s worth checking out. For all we know, the girls beat us to Minnesota, heard the announcement, and decided to see what was happening there. You know those two and malls.” I smiled. “An open mall with designer clothing and millions of shoes at their disposal. It’d be like winning the lottery for them.”

She smirked. “Now I’m starting to get jealous! Well, we’ll hang out here and see if they show up while you go to Bloomington. Who knows, you might even find your grandparents there.”

“They’re supposed to be in Atlanta,” I said.

“Are you kidding me? Nobody is where they’re supposed to be,” said Kristie.

“This is true,” I said.

“I’m going with them,” informed Paige.

Kristie nodded reluctantly. “Fine, but listen to Bryce and don’t try any more crazy heroics.”

“Okay,” said Paige as Kristie kissed the top of her head.

“I’m going to tell Henry,” I said, walking out the front.

“Tell me what?” he asked, as I shut the door and joined him on the porch. Adria was in his arms and he was in my grandfather’s favorite rocking chair, rocking her gently.

“We’re going to MOA.”

He snorted. “Leave it to teenaged girls and shopping – not even a zombie apocalypse will stand in the way.”

“Well, you heard that guy – there should be other survivors out that way. More people we might know. Maybe even Allie and Kylie.”

“Maybe,” he said. “Well, obviously I’m coming with you, too.”

“No, you should stay here,” I said. “Get some rest.”

“Oh, I’ve got all eternity to rest,” he said, holding the baby out to me. “Here, now take little Adria, so I can go drop some kids off to the pool before we set sail.”

I looked down at the sleeping baby and felt an odd sense of peace. Here we were, in the middle of an apocalypse, my sister and Kylie were missing, Billie had been bitten by a zombie, and we’d witnessed Nora’s father getting murdered by her zombie grandmother. But amazingly, for the first time in weeks, I felt a wave of hope wash over me. Even with all of the obstacles we still faced, something told me that things were going to be okay.

Her eyelids fluttered open and she stared at me.

“Don’t worry, Adria,” I whispered. “Things are going to be okay. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

Her little bowtie lips curled up into a smile and something told me that she believed it.

24

Cassie

“Hey,” said Bryce, grabbing my hand. “We need to talk.”

“I thought we already did,” I said, following him into the bedroom. He’d taken a shower and was wearing a new pair of Levis and a white T-shirt that hugged his still very-chiseled pecs. I had to admit, even though he’d lost a little weight and had dark circles under his eyes, he still made my pulse race with that sexy little smile of his.

He closed the door and then turned to me. “We have talked, several times, but you never seem to really listen to what I have to say. So I’ve decided to try another approach.”

Before I could respond, he grabbed me around the waist and pulled me into his arms.

“What are you doing?” I asked, feeling my cheeks turn pink. “I don’t think we have time…”

“We don’t,” he whispered, staring into my eyes. “And that’s why we have to make every minute count.” Then his lips found mine and I soon found myself underneath him on the bed.

“I’ve missed you so much,” he said, pulling my shirt over my head.

“Me too,” I answered, gasping as his hands began moving around my body.

Four minutes and twenty-three seconds later, he was gasping above me and I was staring up at him in   amusement.

He turned onto his side and touched my lips with his fingertips. “You’re so beautiful.”

“Thank you.”

“Sorry,” he said, smiling sheepishly. “I know that was too fast, but I just lost control.”

“No, it was fantastic,” I said. “Short and sweet. Kind of like those miniature candy bars, where they’re so awesome that you just can’t eat one, but if you only have one, it leaves you still craving more.”

He stared at me for a second and then burst out laughing. “Is that supposed to make me feel better?”

“I’m just saying… I wasn’t… dissatisfied, I’m just still… craving you,” I said, kissing his lips.

“I don’t know what’s more disturbing, comparing me to a miniature candy bar, or reminding me that it just wasn’t enough to settle your craving. Both could be construed as rips on my manhood.”

I stood up and slipped my shorts back on. “Are you kidding me? Your manhood is… just… awesome. I mean, it’s the best out there, I’m sure.”

“Because you’ve had so much experience, you’d know?” he said, his eyes sparkling.

“I know that I’m more than happy, and that’s all that matters.”

Someone began pounding on the bedroom door. “Hey, you two done talking about candy in there?” hollered Henry. “Because we’re all waiting for you so we can leave.”

My face turned bright red.

“Don’t worry,” whispered Bryce, kissing me, again, “he doesn’t know what we were up to.”

I bit the side of my lip. “Okay.”

After we left the bedroom, I overheard Henry teasing Bryce about adding a little more nuts to his candy bars, and I had to leave the room so he wouldn’t see me laughing.

***

“Everyone set?” asked Bryce, starting the van. “You all have weapons and water?”

“Yeah,” I said, buckling my seatbelt. Paige and I both had metal bats, Henry had his double-barrel shotgun, and Bryce had found a hunting knife along with one of my grandfather’s guns, a three-fifty-seven Magnum, in the basement. I couldn’t believe he’d left it.

“Take this, too,” said Bryce, tossing me a pocket knife. “I feel better knowing that you have a backup if you lose the bat.”

“What about me?” asked Paige, who was sitting next to me in the second row.

“Well, you’re all set, girl. You’ve got that bat and a sharp tongue. The zombies don’t have a chance.”

She slapped his shoulder. “Not funny.”

“I wasn’t joking,” he said, and then flinched when she raised her fist to club him.

“Now, let Bryce drive, Paige,” said Henry. “You can beat the tar out of him later. Kick him in the Snickers.”

Page snorted. “Snickers?”

“Well from what I understand, they certainly aren’t Almond Joys,” chuckled Henry.

“Okay, enough,” said Bryce. “You don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.”

“That’s right,” I said. “Besides, we need to focus on finding the girls and not Bryce’s goodies.”

Paige wrinkled her nose. “Uh, I agree. Unless you want me to hurl, don’t mention sex and Bryce in the same sentence.”

Trying not to laugh, I changed the subject. “I hope they can handle Billie if he becomes a zombie,” I said, remembering how volatile Eva and Austin had become when they’d both went through their changes.

“I think Nora can handle him, along with a dozen other zombies, at the same time, with her eyes closed,” said Paige.

I stared out the window and smiled. “Yeah, she’s one person I’m glad to have on our side, that’s for sure.”

The rain started and everyone became silent. Bryce turned on the wipers as we turned onto the highway.

“Looks like this one is going to be another doozy,” remarked Henry, staring up at the dark clouds. “Mother Nature’s been pretty moody these last few days. So unpredictable.”

“It’s been like that for a while,” I said. “Nobody’s noticed it as much because we’re all focused on staying alive.”

“True,” said Henry, lowering his hat over his eyes. “At least we don’t have to worry about earthquakes in Minnesota. That last one in Atlanta was a little unnerving.”

Bryce snorted. “You spoke too soon, Henry. There was one yesterday.”

I leaned forward. “What? An earthquake in Minnesota? Seriously?”

Paige nodded. “Yeah, we had a couple of them yesterday. Nothing major, but you could tell it was a quake.”

“That is so weird,” I said.

“Billie and Tiny think it’s the end of the world,” said Paige.

“Huh. Well, it’s not the first time we’ve heard that statement in the last few days,” I said. “Is it, Henry?”

“Nope.”

“The nuns we met the other day also claimed the same thing. Said it was the ‘End of Days’.”

“Okay, please clarify exactly what that means. End of everything, shorter days, what?” asked Paige.

“Well,” I said, “if you’ve ever read the Bible –”

“No, can’t say that I have,” she replied, smiling sheepishly. “But I’ve watched the History Channel quite a bit. There’s more stuff on there about our rocky future than what happened yesterday.”

“I know. So, um, what did the nun say, again, Henry?”

He cleared his throat. “Oh, she mentioned the seven signs of the apocalypse.”

“What are they?” asked Paige.

He sighed. “Deadly plagues, hunger, and earthquakes. Then the sky will turn dark, and the water will turn to blood. Finally, Satan will emerge to fight the final battle between good and evil.”

“Billie said the same thing,” replied Paige.

“Well, at least the water hasn’t changed color,” I laughed. “Then I’d be a little more paranoid.”

Paige looked at me. “Seriously, did you not notice the lake by your grandparents’ house?”

“Uh, I guess not.”

“Bryce, tell them.”

“The lake wasn’t red, Paige, it was pink,” he replied.

“See, there you go,” said Paige.

“Like I said before, there could be a number of reasons,” said Bryce. “We already went over this.”

“Yeah, well what about the river?” said Paige.

He shrugged. “Same thing.”

I raised my eyebrows. “The river was red?”

“It was just pink,” said Bryce. “And it smelled awful so I’m sure it was contaminated. Somehow.”

Paige groaned. “God, that man of yours is so close-minded.”

His jaw clenched. “It’s not the end of the world and I’m not jumping on that bandwagon. The world is going to Hell, but it’s because of us and what we’ve done to it. Nothing spiritual or based on religion. I mean, come on.”

“Do you believe in God?” she asked.

I held my breath. I hadn’t even asked Bryce, and now that we were engaged, I was a little unnerved of what his answer was.

“To tell you the truth, I don’t really know. Obviously, I want to believe that there is something else out there and not just us.”

“Are you talking aliens or God?” smirked Paige.

Bryce sighed. “Okay, let me rephrase my statement – I hope that there is a God. I hope that all of these people who were killed, the ones who became zombies, are not just… lost forever.”

“What about you, Henry?” asked Paige.

Henry didn’t answer, he was too busy snoring.

“Cassie?” she asked me.

“You know how I feel,” I said to her.

“Not really. It’s not like we sit around talking about religion and what shade of lip gloss looks the best under the chapel lights.”

I smiled. “You goof.”

She stared at me. “Seriously, tell us.”

I pulled my hair to the side. “I’m a Christian, what more can I say? What about you?”

She sighed. “Me too, and that’s why I’m scared to death of what may or may not be happening.”

“Paige, any one of us could die at any moment. I mean, who knows, we could be walking into some kind of trap at MOA,” I said. “Hell, after getting kidnapped more than once these last few weeks, I’m not discounting anything.”

“In other words, this could be another suicide mission?” she asked, a horrified look on her face.

I sighed. “I’m just saying that you shouldn’t dwell on something that may or may not happen. Live for now and quit worrying about ‘signs’ and bloody rivers and lakes.”

“You’re seriously not freaked out about any of this?” she asked.

I shook my head. “No, what I’m worried about, more than anything, is finding our sisters. Alive.”

Henry stretched his arms and yawned. “What you all should be worried about is finding me a hopper. I don’t know what I ate, but you kids are going to wish for merciful death if we don’t do something about it real soon.”

Bryce swore under his breath. “I thought you went to the bathroom before we left the house?”

“I did, but that doesn’t mean I got it all out. Sometimes things get stuck on the edge and don’t slip out until later.”

I shuddered. “Okay, T.M.I., Henry. Bryce, just find a place for him to go.”

Henry began rolling down his window. “Oh, false alarm. Just a little gas. Pardon me, ladies.”

We all rolled the windows down.

“You should have brought the Vicks,” chuckled Bryce, waving his hand.

“Henry’s gas has found a way past even the heaviest of mentholated vapo-rub,” I said. “Believe me, it doesn’t help with him. Ask Nora.”

“What can I say? When you get to be my age, sometimes things fester and you never know what’s going to pass through those bottom gates.”

“God, enough of the fart talk,” said Bryce, turning on the radio. “Which radio station was that guy on in Bloomington?”

Henry reached forward and started turning the stations until he finally reached one that actually had a song playing, an old one by the Beatles called “Let It Be.”

“What do you know?” smiled Henry, turning it up. “Now those boys knew how to shake things up, including the ladies. Why, I remember this woman I dated in England, she was crazy about Paul McCartney and would do these little strip-teases for me when I would put on any of their old records.”

“First of all,” I interrupted. “You lived in England for a while? You never mentioned that.”

He waved his hand. “Oh, just a couple of years. Anyway, that girl had these little tassels,” he said, raising his fingers to his chest, “and boy she could get those things shaking and twirling, by golly. It was quite the show, let me tell you.”

“Wonder if they have any of those kind of tassels at the mall?” joked Bryce, looking back at me.

“Keep your eyes on the road,” I said, my face flushed.

Paige groaned. “Guys, just listen to the song.”

Everyone became silent as the song went on and when it was finished, the same voice from the other day began speaking once again.

“Whether you’re just tuning in or you’ve been listening to us and are still trying to figure things out, we are here for you. You don’t have to do this alone, not anymore. Point your truck, your car, hell, your motorcycle and come join us. Let me tell you, brothers and sisters, every day, more survivors are appearing at our doorstep, lost and nearly giving up hope on everything. But you don’t have to give up anything. I’m telling you, all you have to do is join us and you won’t have to worry about food, water, or whether or not you’re going to survive another restless night with these walking dead. We’re all in the same boat. We’ve all lost loved ones – our spouses, our children, our friends, and neighbors. We’ve all been to Hell and back, but no more! No more, I tell you! Here, there is hope, there is support, and there is a place waiting for you…”

“What is he, some kind of preacher or something?” asked Paige.

“I don’t know. He sounds like a decent enough person, though,” I replied. “Like he just wants to help us all.”

“Don’t judge anyone by words,” said Henry. “This guy might not be what he seems.”

“What do you mean?” asked Paige.

Henry turned to look back at me. “Come on, Wild. Listen to his voice.”

His voice had sounded vaguely familiar but it wasn’t until Henry had pointed it out, too, that it all came back to me.

I stared at him in horror. “Travis.”

Henry nodded gravely.

25

Allie and Kylie

“Did you hear that?” asked Kylie, staring through the metal gates toward the faint cries down the hallway. Two hours earlier, they’d been forced into one of the smaller clothing stores in the mall, locked inside without food or water.

“It sounds like they’ve found another baby,” whispered Allie. “I think this is the third one we’ve heard.”

Kylie turned to her. “Where are these babies coming from? And why are they here?”

Allie, who was sitting on the ground, pulled her legs in closer to her chest. “I have no idea,” she answered. “And I don’t think I want to know.”

“I hope he’s not hurting them.”

“Let’s hope.”

Kylie sighed. “We have to get out of here and try to help them.”

“The babies? How? We’re locked in. Even if we were to somehow find a way out, the mall is surrounded by zombies. Face it, Kylie,” she said, her eyes filling with tears, “we are never getting out of here alive, especially with those babies. We’re all doomed.”

“Don’t say that.”

Allie wiped a tear from her cheek. “But, it’s true. This guy isn’t human. You saw his red eyes. And, what if what he says is true?” she lowered her voice. “What if Satan is coming?”

Kylie bit the side of her lip. “Yeah, but ‘good’ is always supposed to conquer ‘evil’. We’ve been reading about that our entire lives.”

“Sure, but that’s mostly in storybooks, Kylie. This is real. At least, I think it is. I don’t know about you, but I haven’t seen anything good for a very long time.”

Kylie kneeled next to her. “Don’t say that! You survived a zombie bite, so did your sister. You’re still alive, Allie. Don’t give up hope.”

“Tell that to my parents, or to Luke, or to the mothers of those babies those guys are stealing! How can we have hope when we’ve been imprisoned by somebody who might actually be an honest to goodness demon? I mean, even if there was a chance for us, nobody knows where we are.”

“But, there’s always Justice,” said Kylie. “He might be able to help us still.”

“Justice?” she scoffed. “He’s not with us anymore. I mean, seriously, he doesn’t even know his own name. Obviously, that demon did something to him.”

“I still think there’s hope. Maybe if we can get him alone, we can talk to him,” said Kylie, standing up. “Help him snap out of it.”

“Maybe.”

Another noise from somewhere in the mall, this time a woman’s harrowing cries, echoed through the darkness and the girls became silent. Kylie sat down next to Allie and they held hands.

***

Justice watched as more zombies, and this time living, breathing people, arrived at the mall. After getting instructions from Travis, they all took off in different directions, prepared to do whatever task he had assigned them.

Very bad things were about to happen, he thought. And much worse than anything seen in the last few weeks.

Although he understood and was horrified, he was physically unable to do anything about it. His limbs wouldn’t follow any of the simplest instructions, nor could he communicate on his own any longer. He felt like a puppet, one that was being manipulated by one very evil puppet master.

“Dwayne,” said Travis, after dismissing another small group of zombies. “What is happening with the infants?”

“Still no luck.”

Travis’s face darkened. “He has to be here somewhere. The signs all point to this region.”

“We’ll find the child,” said Dwayne. “If he is here, we’ll find him eventually.”

“We don’t have ‘eventually’,” snarled Travis. “It has to be soon. Very soon.”

Dwayne nodded. “Yes, sir.”

Travis suddenly closed his eyes and stood still for several minutes, almost as if he’d fallen asleep. Eventually, he opened his eyes and nodded. “Excellent.”

“What?” asked Dwayne.

“I have been given great news,” said Travis. He turned toward Justice and his face broke out into a chilling grin. “Justice, it is time that we check on your friends.”

Justice felt nauseous. Why is he doing this?

“Why? Well, there is a reason as to why our paths have crossed, Justice. It was destiny.”

Justice, who had been standing in one place for several hours, found himself moving toward Travis without his control.

“Follow Dwayne. Get those sweet, young girlfriends of yours and bring them to me.” He turned to Dwayne. “Now you will see exactly why we needed them alive.”

“I never doubted you,” said Dwayne.

“Go.”

Justice followed Dwayne back into Nordstrom’s and into a darker section of the mall.

“Justice!” squealed Kylie, standing up behind the metal enclosure. “Oh, thank God you’re here!”

He tried opening his mouth to respond, but found he couldn’t.

“Stand back,” demanded Dwayne, searching through a large set of keys.

The girls obeyed, and soon they were released from the gate enclosure.

“We’ve missed you,” cried Kylie, throwing her arms around him. When he made no attempt to return the hug, she stepped backwards and stared up at him. “Justice?”

Staring at the two confused and frightened girls, he tried to speak, to tell them he was going to get them the hell out of there, but he still couldn’t move his lips or tongue.

“I see you,” said Kylie, searching his eyes with hers. “I’m not sure what’s wrong with you, if you’ve been drugged or possessed by some kind of evil spirit, but I still see you.”

“Let’s go,” said Dwayne, pointing his gun at the girls. “Move.”

Possessed? Was something really possessing his body? The thought was horrifying, but something told him that it really wasn’t too far from the truth. He had no control of his body, although he knew what was right and wrong, could still think and feel every emotion.

They started back toward Nordstrom’s with Dwayne following behind, trying to light a cigarette. Justice could hear the girls whispering frantically behind him.

“Justice,” murmured Kylie, clutching his arm. “You have to try and overcome this, whatever it is. Travis is evil, but you aren’t. Please, Justice, if you don’t snap out of this, I have a feeling we’re all going to die.”

Justice tried to respond, but as before, he was still unable to speak.

Allie moved to the other side of him. “Justice, help us. Please,” she begged. “For God’s sake, you said you didn’t believe in God before, but I think he may be our only hope.” She removed the cross necklace from around her neck and pressed it into the palm of his hand. She closed it. “This was my mother’s. Look, you have to believe and pray, Justice, pray for some kind of a miracle.”

“Listen to her. Travis said he is paving the way for Lucifer, Justice. Do you know who that is?” whispered Kylie. “If there is a Devil, then obviously, there is a God.”

“That’s enough,” growled Dwayne, pulling the girls away from Justice. “Quit groping the boy or I’ll have to cut you both. Believe me, it will be a great pleasure.”

Justice could feel the cross in his palm and thought about what Kylie and Allie had said. It was obvious that whatever was happening to his body wasn’t something that could be explained. Still, it was hard to conceive that if there truly was a God, he would allow so much horror, grief, and misery on Earth.

“Oh good,” smiled Travis, as the girls were ushered back outside into the early morning light. “They’re back.”

Justice stared at the large group of people who must have arrived when they’d left to get the girls. These people were dressed in red robes and each had downward-pointed pentagrams painted on their forehead.

Satan worshipers?

They stared at Travis as if he was some kind of god himself, and he felt like retching.

Were they going to sacrifice the girls?

Justice looked at Kylie, who was silently pleading with her eyes for him to do something.

To save them.

Travis grabbed the arms of both Kylie and Allie, pulling them toward the crowd of onlookers. “Our newest disciples!” he hollered, a purely evil smile on his face.

“What? No!” cried Kylie, looking horrified. She tried pulling away from Travis, but he held her firm.

“Oh, my God!” sobbed Allie, staring at the delighted group of people. “Are these Satanists?”

“How lovely. Are we going to sacrifice them?” hollered a woman from the crowd with jet-black hair and a wicked smile.

“No, they are going to help us search for the ‘chosen one’,” he said with a sneer. “Our father says they will lead us to the child.”

“Lucifer?” gasped a man, with awe. “Has he arrived?”

“Not yet,” said Travis. “It’s not yet time for him to grace us with his glory. Right now, we must continue our search for the child and destroy it, before the day of reckoning.”

Realizing now why the babies had been brought in, Allie and Kylie stared at each other in horror.

“Please,” cried Kylie. “Let us go! We can’t lead you anywhere. We don’t know of any babies! Most of them have died because of the flu and the zombies.”

“Oh, I plan on letting you go,” laughed Travis, releasing her hand. “I’ll even bring you home to your families.” He leaned forward until he was staring into her eyes. “Both of you.”

26

Nora

“How is he doing?” asked Kristie, stepping into the guestroom.

Nora sighed. “The same.”

“Has he woken up at all?”

“No.”

“Okay. Well, if you get hungry or thirsty, let me know. I’ll bring you something.”

“Thanks. So, where did you find that baby?” she asked.

“Bryce, Paige, and Billie found her in Stillwater, when they were trying to search for Cassie’s grandparents.”

“Oh.”

Kristie looked at Billie, who was snoring on the bed. “I still wonder… what in the hell was he going to do with Adria?”

She stretched her legs and yawned. “I think he was just delirious from the virus.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right.”

Nora closed her eyes and opened them again.

Kristie frowned. “Do you need a break? You look tired, hon.”

She stood up. “No, I’m fine.”

“Okay, well, let me know if you change your mind,” said Kristie.

“Thanks.”

Kristie nodded and left the room.

Nora sat back down and stared longingly at Billie. Although she wanted nothing more than to lie down next to his body, put her arms around him, and try to somehow comfort him, she knew it was too dangerous.

“Come back to me, Billie,” she whispered, blinking back tears. “Please.”

***

“My, you were hungry,” said Kristie, burping Adria after she’d sucked down an entire bottle of formula. “I guess that’s a good thing.”

Tiny sat next to her on the couch and smiled. “You’re a good mother, Kristie.”

“Mother? I’m going to be old enough to be a grandmother in another ten years.”

“Ten years, huh?” he said, his eyes twinkling.

“Damn straight. My girls are not having kids until they’re close to thirty.”

“Well, since there are not many single men left on this planet, those are some pretty good odds.”

“Here,” said Kristie. “Hold her for a minute, will you?”

“Uh, she’s kind of small. What if I hurt her?”

“Relax, you’re not going to hurt her,” she said, placing Adria into his muscular arms.

Tiny looked down at the baby, who gave him a wide, toothless grin. “She sure is a sweet little thing,” he said as she grasped his index finger.

“You two have a lot in common,” said Kristie, standing up. “You’re both sweet and bald.”

“Just don’t tell everyone,” whispered Tiny as Kristie left the room. “Wrestler-slash-zombie-killers are definitely not supposed to be sweet. Show no mercy is our motto, you know?”

The baby giggled and Tiny felt as if his heart had outgrown his massive chest.

***

“Nora,” whispered Billie hoarsely.

Nora opened her eyes.

Crap, she’d fallen asleep.

“How do you feel?” she asked, moving closer to the bed.

He sat up and released a ragged breath. “Like shit.”

She reached over and touched his forehead. “You’re burning up. I’ll get you some aspirin.”

“My wrists hurt,” he said. “Can you please untie me?”

Her eyes narrowed. “No.”

“Nora, it’s me. Come on, babe. Just untie my arms. You can leave my ankles tied up if you want.”

“But…”

“Look at my wrists,” he said, holding them up. They were indeed red. “The rope is practically cutting off my circulation.”

She sighed. “Fine, but you’d better behave.”

“Thanks,” he said. “I knew you still cared.”

She smirked. “You’re lucky I didn’t beat the crap out of you earlier.”

He smiled. “I’m sorry. I guess I’m not quite myself these days. If you’d still like to beat me, I won’t resist. It might be kind of fun, actually.”

“Oh, yeah?” she laughed, untying him. “You say that now but you have no idea what kind of punishment we’re talking about.”

He grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his arms. “God, I’ve missed you,” he whispered, searching her face. “So much, in fact, that I’ve been dreaming about you.”

She swallowed. “Um, I’ve missed you, too.”

He slid his hands over her hips and closed his eyes. “You smell so good.”

“I do?”

As far as she was concerned, she needed a toothbrush and a hot shower.

He opened his eyes again and she stared in shock at all of the freshly broken capillaries.

“Are you okay?” she asked, stiffening up.

“I’m fine,” he said. “Relax.” Then, he raised his hand behind her head and pulled her face to his. When his lips touched hers, he made a strange noise in the back of his throat.

“Billie,” she murmured, trying to pull away. “Let me get you something. Even your lips are hot.” Although she yearned for his kisses, she had to remember, he was obviously infected.

“Please,” he pleaded, touching her cheek. “Just let me kiss you. You taste so good and it’s been so long.”

His words warmed her heart, making her feel more wanted than she had in a very long time. She longed for Billie to hold her, to tell her that everything was going to be all right. Like he had in Atlanta.

Screw it.

“Okay, Billie. But just on the lips, though; no tongue and no saliva.”

Smiling, he pulled her back into his arms and found her lips once again. When his tongue slid inside of her mouth, she panicked and tried breaking free from his firm hold.

“No,” she gasped, trying to push away from his chest. “It’s too dangerous!”

“Smells so good,” he growled, crushing his lips to hers once again. He pushed her down on the bed and forced his tongue into her mouth. Before she knew what was happening, he bit her tongue, drawing blood.

“Stop!” she screamed, kicking at him.

Kristie stormed through the door. “What in the hell is going on in here?!”

Billie backed away and Nora jumped off the bed, her face covered with tears.

“I’m sorry!” cried Billie, his face crumbling. “I didn’t mean to do that, to hurt you! I… I couldn’t help myself.”

Nora picked up the ax she’d left on the floor. “You bit my tongue!”

“Nora,” what are you doing with that ax?” he asked, staring at her in horror.

“Billie, I’m not going to hurt you. Unless you attack me like that again!”

He held out his hand. “I swear to you, I didn’t do it on purpose. I just… I couldn’t stop myself.”

“It’s the zombie virus,” said Kristie. “He’s already craving flesh.”

“No!” gasped Billie. “Hell no!”

“It’s true. First the erratic behavior, and now this,” said Kristie. “Good thing he didn’t get away with Adria.”

Billie’s eyebrows shot up. “With Adria?”

“Yeah, you tried to kidnap her, don’t you remember?” asked Nora.

He looked confused. “No, I… I remember seeing your face and then blacking out. Who is Adria?”

“The baby you found,” said Kristie. “In Stillwater.”

He slumped back against the pillows and put his head in his hands. “I just can’t remember any of what you’re telling me.”

Kristie turned to Nora. “We have to tie him back up and then I’m going to have Tiny watch him. Obviously, you two can’t be trusted alone together.”

Nora nodded. “I’m sorry. I just…”

She put a hand on her shoulder. “It’s okay, honey. Don’t worry about it.”

“Nora,” said Billie. “I’m sorry. I swear to God, I didn’t mean to hurt you. I… I’m sorry.”

She nodded and looked away.

“Go get Tiny,” said Kristie, taking the ax from Nora. “I’ll watch him until we get his hands tied again.”

“Not so tight this time,” said Nora, softly. “His wrists are raw.”

“I’ll tell Tiny.”

Nora left the bedroom, trying not to cry. It was obvious as to what was happening to Billie. He was changing into a zombie and she was going to lose another person she held dear to her heart.

27

Cassie

“Looks pretty quiet,” said Henry as they approached the Mall of America. “Except for all the damage to the building, you wouldn’t even know what was happening all around it.”

“Yeah, it’s quiet; too quiet,” I said.

It definitely didn’t look like a survivor bunker. Just like every other place that had once been bustling with people prior to the apocalypse, it now appeared more like an abandoned ghost-town, even with all the vehicles still parked outside of the ginormous building.

“Should we park in one of the ramps?” asked Bryce.

“Why?” asked Paige. “Let’s just park right outside of Macy’s or Sears. I think it’s safe to say we’re not going to get towed.”

“I don’t know if I want to park right out in the open,” he replied. “I’d rather sneak up on this guy and find out what’s going on. Just in case his intentions aren’t exactly what he’s been spouting over the airwaves.”

“I agree,” said Henry. “If it’s who I think it is, this guy might be pulling in survivors and taking their supplies.”

Paige snorted. “Because he doesn’t have enough of his own, in one of the world’s largest shopping malls?”

“She has a point,” I said.

Henry sighed. “Yeah, but I still say it sounds like that Travis character. What do you think, Wild?”

“I really don’t know,” I said. It had kind of sounded like Travis, but I couldn’t be certain.

Bryce looked back at me. “Regardless, we all still have to be on guard. Don’t forget what happened in Atlanta. You just can’t trust anyone.”

“Yeah,” said Henry. “I agree with Bryce. We’d better park somewhere inconspicuous. Pull into a ramp.”

We pulled into the east ramp, and ended up parking next to several other vehicles on the first floor.

“Hey,” said Bryce, as he got out of the van. “I don’t think these are abandoned cars.”

Henry touched the top of the Honda parked next to us. “This one is still pretty warm. Like they just got here themselves.”

“Let’s go,” said Bryce. “See if we can find whoever arrived in these cars.”

“Lead the way,” said Henry. “And if you see one of those fancy little electric chairs, grab one. My back is starting to hurt again.”

“I’m sure we’ll find you something,” I said.

We followed Bryce into the stairwell and to the first floor of the mall where it was dark and quiet.

“I guess they haven’t established a welcoming committee yet,” whispered Paige.

“Guess not,” I said, walking next to her. “Man, I forgot how large this place is. It seems even bigger now that we’re the only ones inside.”

With over five hundred shops and millions of square feet, the mall was like its own little city. With enough security, it was an ideal place for a shelter, which reminded me – where were all the zombies?

“Well,” sighed Henry. “If this is supposed to be a shelter or bunker of some sort, where the hell is everyone?”

“Exactly,” said Bryce as we turned another corner. “Another thing that’s pretty strange is, we haven’t come across any zombies. Not even a few stragglers.”

“That’s what I was wondering,” I said. “There weren’t any outside, either.”

“I don’t like this,” muttered Henry. “Not one bit.”

“Hey,” I whispered. “You hear that?”

Someone was whistling.

“Hello!” hollered Paige, walking to one of the entrances leading to Nickelodeon Universe.

“Nice,” said Bryce, shaking his head angrily. “So much for remaining inconspicuous.”

The whistling stopped and someone called out, “Hello?!”

“There he is,” said Paige, pointing to a lone figure walking toward them through the amusement park. “Hey! Over here!”

The guy, an athletic-looking blonde dressed in crisp black jeans and a blue polo shirt, raised his hand in greeting and then began walking toward us.

“Meow,” whispered Paige. “Who’d have thought the mall would still be a place to meet hot guys?”

I smiled, although it bothered me that his clothing did not match his style, which reminded me more of a biker with and outgrown mohawk and piercings. Something definitely wasn’t jiving with this guy.

“Welcome,” said the man.

“Hey there, young feller,” said Henry. “Are you part of the shelter team?”

“Please, follow me,” he replied, walking away.

I looked at Paige, who shrugged.

“Okay, since he’s hot, we can excuse his weirdness,” she whispered.

“Excuse me,” called Bryce.

The stranger kept walking.

“Dude, stop for a second!” hollered Bryce.

The man froze and turned around.

Bryce walked up to him. “Where are you taking us, exactly?”

“To him,” he answered in a stoic voice. “The man you seek.”

Bryce’s eyebrows furrowed. “The man we seek?”

The guy’s face turned red and he broke out into a sweat. “Yes,” he said.

Henry shuffled over to him. “Son, are you okay?”

His lips moved but he couldn’t quite seem to answer.

“Oh, my God, is he having a seizure or something?” cried Paige.

“What was that?” asked Henry, pressing a hand on his shoulder. “You trying to say something?”

He opened his mouth. “Huhhh…”

Paige turned to me. “Maybe he’s handicapped?”   “Autistic or something?”

I looked down at the stranger’s hand and noticed he was clutching something so tightly that his knuckles were white.

“What do you have there?” I asked, motioning toward his closed fist.

He glanced down at his hand and then back up at me, the look in his eyes desperate.

“Bryce,” I said. “Open up his fist. He might have some kind of weapon or something.”

Bryce sighed and then grabbed the guy’s wrist.

“Nnnooo…” rasped the guy as Bryce tried uncurling his fingers.

“Cassie,” said Paige. “Honestly, what kind of weapon could he have that’s small enough to fit in the palm of his hand?”

My eyes met the stranger’s, whose expression turned from fear to disbelief. Before I could say anything, he opened his fist.

“Oh, my God,” I said, staring at the cross necklace. “That’s my sister’s!”

The man closed his eyes and fell to his knees. “It’s true,” he croaked. “Thank God.”

Henry shook his head in disgust. “Oh, now he talks.”

Bryce grabbed him by the front of the shirt. “Where did you get that?”

He looked at me again. “From Allie, her sister.”

***

Travis’s face turned red. “Dammit!” he raged, throwing his empty beer bottle at the wall of liquor behind the bar. They were in one of the nightclubs on the upper floor of the mall, waiting for Justice to return.

Kylie and Allie, who were sitting in one of the booths, flinched as he threw a second one, shattering glass all over the bar.

“What’s wrong?” asked Dwayne, rushing into the restaurant.

“He broke free!” raged Travis. “I can’t control him anymore.”

“How?”

“He must be one of those ‘Born Agains’,” he sneered. “Gee, I wonder how that happened?”

Allie looked away.

“Why do we even need him anymore?”

He paused, and then smiled, his entire demeanor changing. “You’re right, we don’t. We have the girls and they’re going to help us locate the baby. Now, go and kill them. Kill them all.”

Dwayne bowed and then walked back out of the bar.

The girls stared at each other in horror.

“No,” begged Allie, turning to Travis. “Please don’t let him kill Justice!”

“Child, not only is he going to slit your friend’s throat,” chuckled Travis, as he grabbed a warm beer from the cooler. “But he’s also going to kill your sisters, and eventually, every person that you care about. Damn,” he groaned, after taking a long swig of beer. “This is tasty.”

“What do you mean?” asked Kylie, standing up. “Do you know where our sisters are?”

Travis sat down at a table across from them and put his feet up. “Why, yes I do,” he said, his eyes turning red. “Now, sit back down before I kill Allie, just for shits and giggles. I really only need one of you.”

Kylie immediately sat down.

“Now,” he said, tapping his fingers on the table. “There’s been a change of plans. After I finish this beer, we’re going to take ourselves a little ride.”

“Where?” asked Kylie, trying not to cry.

He took another pull of his beer and belched. “Cheer up. I’m going to bring you back to your mommy.”

28

Cassie

“Excuse me?” I gasped.

“He has your sister and Kylie,” said Justice.

“I think she means the part of him being some kind of demon. You know, an entity from Hell,” said Paige with a smirk.

“I know you guys think I’m crazy, hell, I would too if I hadn’t seen the stuff he can do with my own eyes. He actually took possession of my body, for God’s sake.”

I tried not to smile. “And, how’d you get it back?” I asked, wondering if he was a complete nut-job.

He nodded toward the necklace I was holding. “I think it had something to do with that,” he smiled sheepishly, “and the fact that I finally believe in God.”

“You didn’t before?” asked Bryce.

He sighed. “No. Not until today.”

“So, you say this guy’s name is really Travis?” asked Henry.

“That’s what he claims, but I’m sure it’s not his real name.”

“See, Wild,” said Henry. “I told you it was that pecker-head, didn’t I?”

“Yeah you did. So,” I said, turning back to Justice. “I think it’s time you took us to my sister and Kylie.”

Before he could answer, the sound of gunfire exploded all around us and we all crouched down on our hands and knees.

“Cassie!” hollered Bryce, grabbing my hand and pulling me with him. “Come on, this way!”

“Paige!” I screamed, looking back for her.

“I’m fine!” she hollered. She was kneeling behind a large garbage can with Justice crouched down beside her.

We scurried over to the other side of the level to a purse kiosk and Bryce pointed. “There.”

I looked up and saw Dwayne as he aimed the gun toward us and began firing once again.

“Shit!” growled Bryce, pulling me down.

“What are we going to do?”

“We’re going to have to get up there and take him down, because I’m no marksman. There’s no way I’ll hit him from this distance.”

Just then, I looked over at Henry, who was standing up without any kind of cover, had his gun raised, and was aiming for Dwayne.

“What is he doing?” I gasped. “He’ll never hit him at that range with a shotgun!”

Bryce swore, then raised his revolver and fired up toward Dwayne.

“Henry!” I screamed, trying to get his attention when Dwayne ducked behind a wall.

Henry lowered his gun and crouched back down.

“I’m going up there,” said Bryce, pointing toward the escalators, which were shut down. “You try to distract him somehow.”

“How?” I asked.

“I don’t know,” he pointed to my T-shirt. “Flash him or something.”

I scowled. “Very funny.”

“It wouldn’t work anyway, he wouldn’t be able to see much.”

I smacked his shoulder. “Bryce!”

“For God’s sake, I’m saying he’s too far away!”

I stared at him for a second. “Don’t you dare smile.”

Biting back a grin, he turned and fired, then bolted behind a coffee stand that was closer to the escalators.

“Better give yourselves up!” hollered Dwayne. “You can’t beat him. He’ll skin you all alive and eat you for dinner if you don’t stand down!”

“Cassie!” whispered Paige, loudly. “Look out!”

I looked behind me and saw two zombies approaching the kiosk.

Crap!

It was obvious they weren’t there to buy, but I began chucking purses at them anyway.

“Where’s your bat?” asked Paige, coming up behind me just as the first zombie rounded the corner.

“I dropped it,” I said, as she swung her bat and bashed the zombie’s skull in.

“Nice going,” she snorted, as I raised my leg and kicked the other zombie in the face, sending him flying backwards.

I sighed. “I know, not very smart. Crap, here comes another one.”

The third zombie charged us but was stopped when Justice slammed a metal chair into his face. When the creature stood back up, he quickly grabbed a long metal paper hole-punch that was sitting on the kiosk, and drove it into the zombie’s skull.

Paige nodded in approval, and when he turned away, I noticed her checking out his buns.

I smiled.

If we got out of this alive, it was my turn to tease the crap out of her.

“Where’s Bryce?” she asked.

“He went up the escalator,” said Justice.

I looked up but couldn’t see Bryce or Dwayne, nor did I hear any more gunfire.

“Henry!” I whispered loudly.

He was still hiding in the same spot, and when he turned, I could see that he’d just stuck another wad of chew into his mouth.

“What?” he hollered.

“Where’d Bryce go?”

Before he could respond, we heard gunfire from above. This time it was deeper in the mall.

I stood up and began moving toward the escalator. They’d obviously moved and there was no way I was going to stay down here if Bryce needed me.

Plus, he only had so many rounds.

“No!” hollered Henry. “Wild, you get your ass back to that kiosk!”

Ignoring him, I ran as fast as I could up the escalator and then hid behind another garbage container.

“What are you doing?” whispered Justice, who’d obviously followed me.

“Bryce is going to need my help,” I whispered back.

Another round of gunfire and my stomach started twisting into knots.

If anything happened to Bryce…

“Sorry, but you’re no help without a gun,” said Justice.

“You haven’t seen me in action,” I replied, and then ran toward another kiosk, this one a calendar shop.

“Well, look who we have here?” chuckled Dwayne, popping his head around the side of the booth.

My heart sank as he raised the gun and pointed it at my face. “It’s a shame, sweetheart. I really thought you and I could have had ourselves a good time the other day.”

“Wait,” I squeaked, raising my hands slowly to my waist. I un-tucked my shirt.

He chuckled. “What are you doing, brown eyes? Changed your mind?”

Holding my breath, I lifted my T-shirt up and flashed him.

His eyes widened but before he could say anything, I heard a loud blast and he fell forward.

“You’re supposed to show all the goods when you flash someone, Wild,” said Henry, his gun still smoking. “Not just that little training bra.”

My face turned bright pink and I pulled my shirt back down right before Bryce arrived.

“Everyone okay?” he asked, out of breath.

“Not everyone,” said Henry, spitting his chew on the dead man’s back. “Looks like he got more than he was expecting with Wild here.”

Bryce put his arm around my shoulders. “You okay?”

I nodded.

Henry smiled. “Bryce, what were you doing when she was whipping out those headlights of hers?”

“I was cornered by a couple of zombies,” answered Bryce. “What in the hell are you talking about? What headlights?”

“Nothing,” I said, shooting Henry a dirty look. “Look, we need to find Allie and Kylie. Justice!”

“Right here,” he said, walking toward us with Paige.

“Where are they?” I asked.

He looked up toward the top floor. “If they’re still here, that’s where they’d be.”

“What do you mean, still here?” I asked.

“He’s using the girls to find the baby,” said Justice.

“What baby?” asked Paige.

“He called him ‘The Chosen One’.”

“Whatever,” said Bryce. “This Travis sounds like a real fruit-loop. Let’s go look for the girls.”

“One thing,” said Justice, halting him. “This guy has powers – some kind of supernatural ones. Don’t underestimate him, and don’t let him touch you.”

“I don’t intend to,” said Bryce, moving around him toward the escalators.

“Neither did I,” replied Justice, rushing after him.

“He ain’t touchin’ me, neither,” said Henry. “No siree… I don’t go for any of that flim-flam stuff.”

“Flim-flam?” asked Paige.

He adjusted his hat. “Yeah, you know… the freaky-deaky kind that usually happens in the ‘john’ at one of those rainbow bars. Hell, you go in to take a dump, and the noise in the next stall isn’t from someone pushing one out, it’s from someone pushing one in.”

I groaned.

“You’re a sick man, Henry,” mumbled Paige.

“Why, ‘cause I tell it like it is?” He lifted the shotgun and waved it toward the escalators. “Come on now, let’s go take care of business.”

29

Allie and Kylie

Travis ushered the girls across the mall and down one of the emergency stairwells when the gunfire began.

“You try anything,” he’d warned before they’d left the club, “I’ll burn your flesh from the bone while you’re still breathing.” Then he raised his hand and a small ball of fire appeared above his fingertips. As they stared at the flames, an image of both girls screaming in agony appeared inside of the fire. He smiled. “I advise you not to test me.”

When they stepped outside of Macy’s, a dark SUV was waiting for them. The driver, an older man with jet-black hair and glasses, stepped out of the vehicle and held the door open for the girls.

“Get in,” demanded Travis, when they hesitated.

Both girls glanced back toward the mall entrance and then their eyes met.

Help was so close.

“Don’t even think about trying to escape,” warned Travis, forming another ball of fire. He rolled it in his hands until it grew larger and then flung it at a small group of zombies shuffling toward them. The flames consumed them, although they kept moving. It wasn’t until Travis whispered something that the zombies halted and continued to burn until they were just piles of ash. “You see, girls, the fires of Hell are hotter than anything up here,” he said with a nod of approval. He turned back to the girls. “Now, get in before you find out just how hot.”

The girls quickly got into the backseat and Travis slipped in front with the driver.

“Where to?” asked the short little man.

Travis smiled darkly. “Over the river and through the woods, to grandmother’s house we go.”

***

Bryce

“They’ve already left,” said Justice, staring at the empty beer bottles left on the bar. “This is the last place that I saw him with your sisters.”

“Where do you think they went?” asked Bryce.

“I have no idea,” said Justice.

“Isn’t it obvious?” I said. “He’s looking for a baby.”

“Adria,” mumbled Paige.

“He’s looking for a baby boy,” said Justice.

“Maybe he’s changed his mind,” said Henry.

Bryce sighed. “Guys, how would he even know about Adria?”

“In a simple world, he wouldn’t,” I said. “But things are happening – crazy, totally unpredictable things that we obviously can’t explain.”

Henry cleared his throat. “I agree. You know me – I’m older than dirt, stubborn as a mule, and very much set in my ways. But even I have to admit, there’s some strange stuff happening and we can’t always go with what’s rational.”

“Let’s head back to my grandparents’ house,” I said. “Maybe we’ll get lucky and find them there.”

***

Nora

Nora sat on the porch, rocking, as she stared blindly toward the street. Memories, both good and bad, of her childhood flitted through her mind, mostly of the times she’d spent with her grandmother when she was little and her father was on the road.

As a child, she’d never noticed that Grams had been different, or her father, for that matter. To her, she’d always been the smiling, robust woman with the bright blue eyes and silvery black hair always tied back in a loose bun. The kind and loving woman whom she used to dance and sing with, the person who had always encouraged her to speak her mind and not let anyone push her around. She’d tried teaching her the importance of being independent and brave, and to live life without regret. Unfortunately, Grams had preached it, but had never been able to follow her own advice. She’d kept that from Nora, and it wasn’t until she’d started school that she’d first glimpsed her grandmother’s phobia of the world outside. Sadly, now everyone had to fear the world outside and the nightmares walking the streets, both during the day and night. It was as if Grams had known these days would come.

Thunder rumbled above and Nora leaned forward, wiping away stray tears. Being a pansy wasn’t going to help her bring her family back, and it certainly wasn’t going to do anything for Billie, either.

Sighing, she stood up and turned toward the door when the sound of an engine caught her attention.

A Suburban.

It slowed and then came to a complete stop in front of the house, just as the rain started.

She ignored the drops and walked toward the vehicle with her hand on the ax. When the back door opened up and she saw the familiar face, she sighed in relief.

“Allie! Oh, my God, we’ve been looking all over for you. Is Kylie with you?”

Allie nodded and then both girls slid out of the back.

“Who’s with you?” asked Nora, trying to catch a glimpse of the two people in front. The windows were so dark, she could barely see their silhouettes.

Neither girl said anything, just stared at her with fear in their eyes.

Not good.

“Um, why don’t you girls run into the house and I’ll just thank your ride personally.”

Just then, the front passenger door opened up and the dirt-bag, Travis, stepped out of the SUV.

“Well, well, well… we meet again,” he laughed. “How delightful. Well, I’ll bet you didn’t expect this happy reunion when you woke up this morning.”

“Get into the house, girls,” said Nora, raising her voice. “Now!”

“Tsk, tsk,” said Travis, walking up to her as the girls started running toward the porch. “I don’t know about you, but I don’t think that’s the right way to greet someone who has just returned your friends.”

“You asshole,” she growled, raising her ax. “Get the hell out of here or I’ll chop off one of your hands and make sure you never start another fire as long as you live.”

“Oh, scary,” he giggled, mocking her with his hands waving in the air.

“You should be scared, you prick.”

His smile fell. “You’re beginning to bore me, girl and my time is valuable. I think it’s time for you to meet your maker, unless he’s given up on your pathetic soul.”

Her rage got the best of her. Just when she was about to take a swing, the sound of groans and snarls caught their attention and they both turned toward the street.

“Oh, my God,” she gasped in horror.

Hundreds of zombies had turned the corner of the street and were moving toward them through the pouring rain.

Travis smiled and clapped his hands. “Ah… some of my lovely minions have arrived to assist me. Oh, this is going to be fun to watch.”

Nora turned and ran to the front door when Tiny opened it from the inside.

“What’s happening?” he asked, taking a step outside. “Who’s that guy?”

“He’s not what he appears.” She pointed toward the zombies. “And check that out, we’ve got some major problems.”

He swore and then turned around. “Kristie! Get my gun!”

“Oh, you’re going to need more than that,” chuckled Travis, stepping onto the porch.

Furious, Nora turned around and launched herself at Travis.

“Foolish mortal,” he growled, catching her by the throat. “You just don’t learn, do you?”

Nora’s face turned red as he lifted her into the air and flung her down the steps and onto the grass.

Stunned, Tiny rushed Travis, but found himself slammed back into the door with such force, that he slid down to his butt.

“What in the hell is going on out here?!” hollered Kristie, now standing over him by the doorway. “Oh, my God, Nora, are you okay?” She looked down at Tiny. “What the hell are you doing, Tiny? Your jeans are getting soaked.”

“Get in the house, Kristie,” he replied hoarsely.

Nora stood up and grabbed her ax. “That’s it. I’m not playing nice anymore. You’re going down, freak.”

“You can’t hurt me, girl,” scoffed Travis. “Look, people, just give me the infant and this will all go away.”

Tiny stood up and grabbed the gun out of Kristie’s hands. “That’s it, brother, get the hell off of this property or I’ll shoot your ass to the curb.”

Travis smiled. “Tell you what – I will leave and even take my army with me if you give up the child.”

Kristie and Tiny stared at each other and then at the large crowd of zombies that were nearing the edge of the grass.

Kristie looked at Travis. “Your army?”

He turned toward the zombies and shrugged. “Yeah, I know, they aren’t exactly the most pristine of soldiers, but they’re all I have at the moment.”

Tiny raised the gun. “Listen, I don’t know what the hell is going on here, but you’d better turn it around and get back into that SUV.”

Travis sighed. “Very well. I guess we’re going to have to do things the messy way. No worries, though. I always enjoy watching other people’s blood being spilled.”

“From where I’m standing, it looks like yours is the only one that’s going to be spilled,” said Tiny, cocking the gun. “Now, move it.”

“Tiny, with your determination and biceps, I’m quite certain that you’d make an impressive assistant, since the position appears to be open again. Tell me,” he wrinkled his nose, “Are you a noble man?”

“Damn straight.”

“So I take it you’re a Christian? A believer?”

“Of God? Certainly. Just like I believe you’re going to be meeting him very soon if you don’t get your ass off of this porch.”

“Pity. Well,” he said, turning around and lifting his hand in the air. “Let the bloodshed commence!”

The zombies, who’d been eerily waiting on the street, lurched forward toward the house.

30

Cassie

“Lord Almighty, would you look at that?!” gasped Henry as we turned the corner to my grandparents’ street. Hundreds of zombies were gathered around the house, trying to get in, and there was a black SUV parked in front of the house.

“That guy is definitely after Adria,” I said, holding on to the seat as Bryce whipped around the block to the back alley.

“We have to get them out of that house before they find a way in,” said Henry. “There’s too many zombies.”

We pulled up to the garage and all of us jumped out of the van clutching our weapons.

“Here,” said Bryce, tossing Justice a wrench. “You’re going to need it.”

“Thanks.”

I threw open the gate by the garage, ran down the concrete steps with Paige, and rushed to the back door just as the zombies broke through the side gate.

“Wild!” hollered Bryce. “Get into the house!”

The back door was locked and I began pounding on it. “Kristie! Tiny!”

“Get back, you creeps!” yelled Paige, swinging her bat at the zombies barreling toward us. As the metal hit pay-dirt, I could hear Bryce and Henry emptying their shotguns into the crowd of dead.

“Oh, thank God!” cried Kristie, swinging the door open.

“Stand back, girls!” hollered Tiny as he ran past us with an iron fireplace poker toward the zombies.

“We have to get Adria out of here,” I said to Kristie as she pulled me and Paige into the kitchen.

“I know,” she said. “There’s a crazy lunatic out front who wants to take her away.”

I looked past Kristie at Nora, who held Adria in her arms. “Is it Travis?”

“It sure is. Don’t worry,” said Nora. “There is no way in hell that I’m letting that monster have Adria.”

More gunshots from outside.

“I have to get back out there and help kill those zombies,” I said. “You guys get the baby ready for travel. Something tells me we don’t have a lot of time.”

“Cassie!”

I turned to find my sister running toward me. She flung herself into my arms and I squeezed her tightly.

“What were you thinking?” I said, blinking back tears. “We could have lost you! Where’s Kylie?”

“Right here,” said Kylie, stepping into the kitchen with a bag. “I grabbed some diapers and things for Adria.”

“Hi, Kylie,” said Paige, giving her a quick hug. “You okay?”

She nodded. “Yeah, now that we’re with you guys. Mom, we have to leave before that demon takes Adria away.”

Kristie sighed. “He’s not a demon.” She looked at me. “She keeps insisting that weirdo outside is some kind of demon.”

I bit my lower lip. “Actually, I’m starting to think he is, too.”

She looked at me like I was insane. “What?”

“They’re right, mom.  I mean, seriously, you wouldn’t believe the things that we’ve seen and heard about him. Evidently, Travis, this demon or whatever he is, believes that Adria might be the ‘Chosen One’,” said Paige.

“The ‘Chosen One’? Chosen for what?” asked Kristie, walking over to the baby.

“Chosen to save the world,” replied Kylie, stepping closer to Nora. “The one who’s going to defeat Satan and save our souls.”

Adria grinned as if she knew what we were talking about and we all stared at her.

Kristie cleared her throat. “Um –”

Just then, we heard a loud crash from the front of the house.

“Oh, my God, the zombies have already gotten in!” hollered Paige.

“Oh, my God!” mimicked Travis, walking through the kitchen door. “Whatever will we do?!”

The baby stared at him, her lip began to tremble, and then she started to wail.

“Out, Demon!” hollered Kristie, crossing her fingers together to form a “T”.

“Seriously?” cried Travis, roaring with laughter.

“Get Adria out the back, quickly!” I yelled to Nora.

“Wow, would you look at this,” said Travis, staring at all of us. “I’m kind of outnumbered here by women. I think we’d better remedy this situation.”

He then snapped his fingers and Billie, who was no longer restrained, stumbled through the kitchen door.

“Billie!” cried Nora, reaching one of her hands toward him.

He didn’t answer.

I stared at my new friend in horror, realizing that something was very wrong. Earlier today he’d been slightly pale but now his face was ashen, his eyes unfocused.

“Grab the child,” ordered Travis.

Billie lurched toward Nora and we all tried blocking his path.

“Stop it, Billie!” I yelled, trying to push him back.

He growled and began snapping his teeth at me.

“Oh hell, just destroy them,” demanded the demon.

I stared into Billie’s eyes in horror and realized that he was truly gone. Nothing remained but the zombie who’d taken over his body.

“No!” cried Nora, noticing it too. The despair in her face broke my heart.

“Nora, get Adria out of here!” I cried, as Kristie and I tried holding Billie’s face away from my skin. “The girls, too!”

With a choked sob, Nora ran through the back of the house, followed by Kylie and Allie.

“That’s it,” growled Travis. “Finish these three and meet me out back.”

“I don’t think so,” snarled Henry, stepping through the kitchen, his shotgun raised. “You ain’t meeting nobody but your friends in Hell, Slick.”

Then he fired the gun, hitting Travis in the middle of his chest.

We all screamed as Travis fell backwards, a large bloody hole in the middle of his chest. When he hit the tile, his eyes stared lifelessly toward the refrigerator and he didn’t move.

“No way,” whispered Paige as we stared in disbelief. “Seriously, it can’t be that easy?”

I’m not sure what I expected, but it wasn’t the dead body of a demon lying in the middle of my grandparents’ kitchen.

Billie released my arm and dropped quickly to the ground. I kneeled next to him.

“Is he okay?” asked Kristie, bending down.

“Uh, I think he may have died from the zombie virus,” I said, staring at his closed eyelids.

“Wouldn’t he be attacking us right now then?” asked Henry, staring down at us.

I touched Billie’s cheek and sucked in my breath. “Oh, my God, he’s still warm. And look, the color is coming back to his cheeks!”

Kristie touched his forehead. “Maybe he’s going to be all right?”

Before I could answer, Billie’s eyelids began to flutter.

“Billie?” I said, reaching for his hand. “Hey, are you okay?”

His eyes opened. “I’m… back,” he whispered staring at me in wonder. “I didn’t think it was possible.”

I smiled at him in relief. “I guess anything is possible.”

He swallowed. “Help me up?”

I stood and pulled him with me. “How are you feeling?”

He touched his cheeks and then smiled broadly. “You know what? I’m doing pretty good actually. I feel great!”

I stared at him in disbelief. He did look healthy and refreshed. Nothing compared to the monster who’d tried attacking us. I began to wonder if Travis’s death had been the cure for the zombie plague. It certainly didn’t seem logical. But then again, nothing I’d seen in the last few weeks seemed real or logical. “You sure you’re okay?”

“Oh, yeah.” He walked to Travis’s body and nodded. “Looks like someone did a number on that guy.”

“You don’t remember anything?” asked Kristie.

“Nope.”

“You’re lucky,” I said.

Our eyes met and he smiled. “Very.”

“You must have been in some kind of trance or something,” said Henry. “Just like that young man, Justice. Listen, we’d better get out of here and head back to Atlanta. Got us so many dead bodies on the lawn, your neighbors are going to start talking.”

“Oh, my God,” I said, forgetting all about the zombies in the yard. “How are Bryce and the others doing?”

“They were holding their own, last time I checked,” said Henry. “Ordered me into the house to check on you women. Good thing I came when I did.”

“I’m going out there,” I said.

“No, I’ll check,” said Henry.

Before I could argue, Bryce barreled through the door looking upset. “Cassie, thank God,” he said, pulling me into his arms. “I heard from Nora that Travis made it into the house and I thought I’d lost you.”

“He did make it in here but Henry took care of him,” I replied, closing my eyes.

“Yep,” said Henry. “Shot that sucker straight through the heart.”

“See, what did I tell you?” said Bryce, releasing me.

I arched my eyebrow. “Tell me?”

He walked over to Travis’s dead body, and with a grimace, said, “There’s no way this guy was a demon. If he was, he’d still be alive.”

“That’s what I thought,” said Kristie, clucking her tongue. “You girls and your wild imaginations.”

I sighed. “I suppose you’re right.”

“I want to leave,” said Paige, looking pale. “All of this blood is making me nauseous.”

Kristie put an arm around her. “I hear you.”

“I agree,” I replied. “Plus, I’m tired and could use a nap.”

“Really?” snorted Bryce. “I just took out forty or fifty zombies on my own. If anyone could use a nap, it’s me.”

“Fine,” I said. “I’ll drive while you and Adria take your little naps.”

Henry cleared his throat. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea. We all know how you drive.”

“Everything okay in here?” asked Nora, walking back into the house with Tiny.

“Check it out,” said Paige. “We killed the demon!”

Nora stared at Billie in disbelief. “Billie? Oh, my God, are you okay?”

He smiled and raised his arms. “I’m doing great.”

She rushed over and threw her arms around him. “Thank God,” she mumbled. “I thought I’d lost you.”

He chuckled. “You can’t lose me that easily.”

“Where’s Adria?” asked Kristie.

“She’s fine. She’s in the van with the girls,” said Nora, still staring up at Billie in wonder. “Sorry, but I still can’t get over this.”

He kissed her on the forehead. “I know. I’m not an easy guy to take down.”

“Good thing,” she said, releasing him.

Kristie turned to Tiny. “Did you guys take care of all the zombies?”

“We got most of them. There are still some heading this way, but nothing we can’t handle,” he replied.

“What about Travis’s driver?” she asked. “Are we going to have a problem with him, too?”

“Nah, he took off,” said Tiny. “When I tried approaching him, he flew down the street like a bat out of hell.”

She smiled. “I’ll bet.”

“I can’t believe everyone made it,” I said, staring at everyone. After the last few hours, it seemed like a miracle.

“Everyone but Luke,” sighed Kristie, shaking her head somberly. “Poor kid,”

Bryce’s face fell. “Yeah, that poor kid. Justice told me what happened. I still can’t believe it.”

“Belinda’s going to be devastated,” said Henry, scratching his whiskers. “Even if they weren’t really related. She grew quite attached to that kid.”

None of us said anything. We’d all lost so many loved ones in the last few weeks and it never got easier. If anything, Luke’s death was a reminder that none of us were safe from the threats still out there. All threats. Whether our enemies were zombies or people, we had to watch our backs very carefully.

“Well, we should get going,” said Billie.

We agreed and started packing up what was left of the snacks, water, and baby supplies.

“I should make the baby a bottle for the road,” said Kristie.

“Good idea,” said Tiny, handing her the canister of formula and a bottle of water.

“Everything ready?” asked Bryce, carrying a couple of extra pillows from the bedroom.

“We just have to load the vehicles.”

Billie walked over to Kristie. “Why don’t I bring the bottle to the girls and let them start feeding Adria.”

She handed it to him. “Sounds good. We’ll be right out.”

“Okay,” he said, walking out the back door. “Take your time so you don’t forget anything.”

“So, who are you riding with, Justice?” asked Paige.

He shrugged. “I don’t know. You guys okay with me tagging along?”

Paige twirled her blond hair around her finger, and stared at him as if he was the last pair of Jimmy Choos on the face of the Earth and she couldn’t live without them. “Uh, of course you have to come with. You’re part of the team now.”

He smiled. “Then, I guess I’ll be riding with whoever wants me.”

“Of for crying out loud, you’ll be riding with Paige,” said Henry, getting up from the kitchen table. “That girl has had her knickers in a bundle ever since she’s laid eyes on you.”

Paige’s face turned crimson. “Don’t listen to him. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”

Justice’s lip twitched. “Too bad. I always wanted to know what knickers in a bundle looked like.”

“Hey, that’s my daughter you’re flirting with over there, young man,” said Kristie. “There will be no knickers bundling up anywhere. Period.”

“Really, mom,” mumbled Paige, walking out of the kitchen.

“Oh, I think you’re in for an earful later, Kristie,” I giggled.

She shrugged. “That’s fine. I’m used to it.”

I laughed and went outside to join Paige.

“Cassie!” hollered Paige, standing on the side of the garage. “I don’t see the van. Did the guys move it to the front of the house?”

“Not that I know of,” I said, walking up the cement steps.

Sure enough, the van was nowhere to be found.

It was missing.

Her face turned white. “I think we have another problem on our hands.”

***

“You girls doing okay back there?” asked Billie, as he turned the van onto the freeway.

“Yeah,” said Kylie, closing her eyes, trying to block out the sounds of Adria’s cries.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with her. She just finished her bottle,” said Allie. “So she can’t be hungry. Poor thing.”

“Well, we have a long way to go before we reach our destination. You need to try and shut her up,” replied Billie.

“That’s not nice,” said Kylie, opening her eyes. “She can’t help it, you know, she’s just a little baby.”

“I don’t care; keep her quiet so I can concentrate on the road.”

“Um, so you never told us, why are we riding with you and not the others?” asked Kylie.

He looked back at her in the rearview mirror but didn’t say anything.

The hair on the back of Kylie’s neck stood straight up. “Billie?”

A cold, evil smile spread across his handsome face. “I prefer that you call me… Travis.”

***

End of Book Four

End Zone

Prologue

Travis

He inhaled deeply, enjoying the smell of rot and decay as the zombies stumbled around in the indoor amusement park below. To him, the scent of death meant victory was on the horizon and this brought him great pleasure.

Smiling in approval, he reached for the cigar tucked behind his ear and bit off the end. Lighting it with his fingertip, he wondered how the ally from the east was faring, not that it truly mattered. The human population had dwindled to such an insignificant number, that it wouldn’t take much to control the remaining survivors.

Just as predicted.

He looked up toward the glass ceiling of the mall. “And you thought that you could outwit Lucifer? Obviously, you underestimated his power.”

Lightning flashed across the sky, followed by a thunderous boom that made his teeth vibrate.

He sneered. “Really? That’s all you got?”

Jennifer, his newest follower, cleared her throat. “Excuse me, sir?”

He turned around to find the lovely and easily manipulative young woman standing next to a man dressed in black.

“Good evening,” said the stranger, his blue eyes twinkling. He was in his sixties, with white hair and a kind face that hid the true nature of the soul lurking inside.

Travis puffed his cigar and released a thick stream of smoke. “Well, look what the cat dragged in. I was just wondering if and when you’d show up.”

“It wasn’t an easy journey here, let me tell you.”

“If it were easy, then I’d be concerned.”

The priest hesitated. “You’re not exactly what I expected.”

“Sorry to disappoint. He made me leave my horns at home. True story.”

The priest’s laughter turned into a rattling cough. “Sorry,” he said in a raspy voice as he pulled out a handkerchief from his trouser pocket. “Bronchitis.”

He tapped his cigar, sending ashes to the ground and grunted. “I take it that a celebratory stogie is out of the question?”

“Probably not a good idea, sir.” The priest wiped the spittle from his mouth and then shoved the handkerchief back into his pocket. “It’s an honor to finally meet you, face-to-face. I’ve waited so long… I -”

“Save the handshake,” he interrupted as Father Brambati raised his hand and took a step toward him.

The priest froze. “Of course.”

Travis nodded toward Jennifer. “Leave us.”

She lowered her eyes and walked away while the priest turned and watched her hips move in a way that would shock his church congregation.

Travis chuckled. “Ah… the sins of the flesh.”

The priest licked his lips. “She’s a lovely young woman.”

“Be honest, she’s not really your type, however, is she? A little too… womanly?”

Father Brambati’s face turned red.

“Hell, I’m not judging you.” He smiled darkly. “We’ve always admired your insidious ways, Father. Anyway, all of that aside, I have some excellent news.”

The priest leaned forward in expectation.

“We’ve located the child.”

Father Brambati’s bushy white eyebrows shot up. “Is that true? Are you certain?”

“The signs that Lucifer mentioned pointed to the small group of survivors from this part of the world. When I finally located these people, she was among them.”

He tilted his head. “She?”

“Yes, the infant is a girl. It just goes to show that the man above tried to pull one over on us, but,” he smirked, “He failed.”

Father Brambati frowned. “Well, I hope you’re right and this really is the one we’ve been searching for. It will certainly save us a lot of time.”

“We’ll know soon enough,” he replied, his eyes turning the color of molten lava. “If that little shit really is the second coming.”

1

Belinda

Belinda parked the car across the street from the C.D.C. and shut off the lights. She looked over at the sleeping boy next to her and his furry companion, the young pup who never left Bobby’s side.

Closing her eyes, she sighed, yearning for a cigarette. It had been thirty-six hours since she’d smoked her last one and was now completely and totally out. It was making her edgy and more than a little frustrated. A zombie apocalypse was never a good time to stop smoking. If anything, it was a reason to start.

Bobby’s eyelids fluttered open. He sat up and looked around.

“The prince has risen,” she said, ruffling his dark brown hair.

“Are we there, Linny?” he asked, stretching his short little arms.

She wrapped her own arm around the boy’s shoulders and pulled him in closer. He smelled of baby shampoo and the cherry sucker she’d given him earlier. “Yes, honey.”

He hugged her back and closed his eyes. “Good.”

For the past few days, he’d insisted that she drive him to this place, never letting up. Originally, she’d said ‘no’, shocked that he’d even been aware of the C.D.C. But he’d thrown a few fits, which wasn’t like him. In fact, Bobby was normally so mild mannered and sweet, that she hadn’t been prepared to deal with such tantrums. Grown men with tattoos and beer bellies, yes, but not a small boy with Down’s Syndrome, one who’d wrapped her around his finger already. In the end, because he’d been so adamant and Belinda hated to see him upset, she’d caved in.

“I love you, Linny,” he whispered.

A wave of emotions made her eyes burn. She blinked back tears, not wanting him to see them. “I love you, too, Bobby.”

He smiled up at her and her heart swelled.

“Oh, Bobby,” she said, kissing the top of his head. “How did you get to be so damn cute?”

His face grew serious. “I don’t know.”

She chuckled at his innocence, loving him even more for it. In just a short period, she’d grown so attached to Bobby, loving the child like he was her own. In fact, the truth was, although they were in the middle of a zombie apocalypse, she’d never felt more alive. Caring for him had opened up a part of her life that she hadn’t even realized she’d been missing.

Motherhood.

Now, she wasn’t about to give it up for anything. As far as she was concerned, Bobby was now her responsibility until Bryce returned.

She touched the boy’s cool cheek. “Bobby, do you know why we’re here?”

He looked up at her, his large almond-shaped blue eyes unusually serious. “Yes.”

“Well, would you mind sharing it with Linny?”

Bobby nodded solemnly. “Friends.”

Her eyes widened. “Oh?”

“Yes.”

Out of the corner of her eye she noticed three zombies stumbling down the block toward the Cadillac, and grew tense. She quickly locked the doors and grabbed her gun from the glove compartment. Although Atlanta was still riddled with zombies, she’d never get used to their constant presence.

“It’s okay,” said the boy, smiling up at her reassuringly. “They won’t hurt you.”

“Right,” she said, expecting the zombies to surround her car, drooling and moaning like they usually did. Instead, this time, the creatures ignored the car and walked aimlessly by as she held her breath. Belinda released a ragged breath and slid the gun under her seat.

Goldie, who’d been sleeping in the backseat, raised her head. She turned and growled toward the back window at the retreating forms.

“Yeah, you tell them,” said Belinda, reaching back to pet her fur.

“Tell them what?” asked Bobby.

Belinda grinned. “Nothing, honey. I’m just trying to be silly.”

He giggled. “Yes, because Goldie can’t talk.”

“Well, not like us.” Belinda looked at her watch and frowned. It was almost six-thirty in the morning, and the sun had not yet even begun to rise. It was very odd. She turned to Bobby. “Wow, I can’t believe I let you talk me into coming out here this early in the morning,” she said. “And without my morning coffee.”

His smile fell. “I’m sorry.”

“Why you ought to be,” she teased, tickling him.

Fortunately, the generators were running in the hotel at a bare minimum, and she was able to still have her coffee in the morning. That, along with the other small luxuries she’d enjoyed at the hotel, like warm meals and hot baths were a privilege. She knew they weren’t going to last if things didn’t change soon. The government, whatever was left of it, hadn’t been able to contain the virus or the zombies as of yet, Professor Schultzenheimer wasn’t having any luck coming up with a cure for the infection, and from what she understood, the generators ran on fuel and that had to be getting scarce. Luckily, the night before, some of the other survivors had been able to confiscate a fuel rig that had been abandoned just outside of town and bring it to the hotel. When that ran out, however, she wasn’t sure what would happen. She could only hope that Bryce, Henry, and the others returned soon.

Henry.

Admittedly, she had a soft spot for that old fart as well. He was a little past his prime, but he certainly had charm. And his stories, she could sit and listen to him talk about his days in the rodeo for hours. She hoped he made it back in one piece as well. She’d grown very fond of him.

“There,” pointed Bobby.

Belinda sat up straighter and stared at the tall headlights creeping toward them. Her eyes narrowed. “Now, who is that?”

“Friends,” said Bobby, with a wide smile.

Friends?

No, this had been a bad idea, she thought to herself as she reached under the seat and grabbed the revolver. What in the hell was I thinking, coming out here with the boy and the dog?

“It’s okay,” said Bobby as a black Sierra, with a large grill-guard in the front, pulled up to the curb on the opposite side of the road.

“I guess they haven’t noticed us yet,” said Belinda, watching the truck nervously. She pointed to the seat. “Why don’t you get down, Bobby.”

But Bobby had other ideas.

Before she could react, he threw open the door, jumped out, and ran over to the pickup.

“Bobby!” hollered Belinda, opening her door quickly and scrambling out.

Goldie, barking excitedly, leaped out and chased after the six-year-old.

She caught up to the boy and the dog just as the door opened up on the passenger side of the truck.

“Do you need help?” asked the middle-aged woman as she climbed out of the truck and scanned the streets nervously.

Belinda smiled at the stranger, who thankfully, looked about as threatening as Goldie. “No, we’re fine.”

The driver of the truck, a man with glasses and dark hair, leaned over and smiled wryly. “I take it the C.D.C. is closed for renovation?”

Chuckling, Belinda glanced at the building and nodded. “We wish. No, as you can see it’s been abandoned. Either the employees turned into zombies, or just plain took off.” She decided not to mention the professor, just in case these people weren’t as friendly as they appeared. Besides, the military was probably still looking for him, and from what she knew, he didn’t want to be found.

Goldie jumped onto the woman’s knees and began licking her hands.

“What a sweet puppy,” she said, bending down to pet and hug the dog. Smiling, she turned and looked at Bobby. “Is she yours?”

“No. I’m watching her for someone else,” he replied, gazing at the woman in fascination. “You miss yours, don’t you?”

She looked surprised. “Well, uh, you could say that.” She smiled sadly. “It’s certainly hard saying goodbye.”

Goldie, her tongue hanging out, decided she wanted more attention and leaped into the truck.

The man laughed and started petting her. “Never thought I’d get to see another dog,” he said as she licked his face. “Doesn’t she look like Maggie, Irene?”

Tears filled the woman’s eyes. “Yes… she kind of does.” She turned to Belinda. “Maggie was our last Golden.” Her voice grew thick. “She passed away last year, before any of this happened, thank goodness. She wouldn’t have made a very good zombie killer.”

Belinda smiled and pulled Bobby closer. “I reckon so. Where you from?”

“We’re from Minnesota,” replied the woman, brushing at her tears. “We came out here to find our family.”

Belinda’s eyes widened. “Oh really?”

“Yes. I just hope we locate them,” she glanced toward the C.D.C. “It’s not looking very promising right now. We thought for sure they’d be all over this thing. But, obviously, nobody has a handle on anything.”

“It looks that way. I’m Belinda, by the way,” she said, holding out her hand.

Before the woman could take it, Bobby introduced himself. “I’m Bobby De Luca,” he said proudly, extending his hand like his brother had been teaching him.

The woman smiled and shook it. “Hi Bobby, I’m Irene Wild and that’s my husband Steve.”

“See,” said Bobby, turning around to look up into Belinda’s eyes. “Friends.”

“Well, I’ll be damned,” whispered Belinda.

***

“They went back?” repeated Irene, wiping fresh tears. Belinda had brought them back to the hotel, to try and find a way to soften the blow. Unfortunately, there had been no easier way to tell them that their granddaughters were on the road.

Belinda nodded, hating to bring them more bad news. It was horrible enough that she’d had to inform them that Dave and Kris had died, but now to find out that their grandkids were somewhere between Atlanta and Minnesota, it made everything that much worse. “Yeah, a couple of days ago. Hopefully they’ll be back soon, but it’s hard to say. It’s not like we have a way to reach any of them.”

“Oh, I just can’t believe they did that,” sighed Irene. “With so much danger on the roads.”

Grief-stricken, Steve sat down on a club chair, the news of Dave and Kris’s death still sinking in. “I just can’t believe it,” he replied, his voice husky. “Dave left me a message a few days ago, saying that they’d made it out here. Now you’re saying that they were murdered, and not even by the damn zombies?”

Belinda swallowed. “Um, yes. That’s right. The ones who did it were part of the mob,” she said, leaving out the fact that she’d been related to one of them. “But, Dave and Kris, they saved a lot of people. You should be very proud of them.”

“We always have been,” sighed Irene, stepping over to her husband. She grabbed his hand. “Haven’t we?”

He nodded tearfully.

Belinda raised her index finger. “I’m sure you’re aware that Allie beat the virus after getting bitten, but your other granddaughter did as well. Cassie was sick for a couple of days, but she also pulled through.”

“He never mentioned anything about Cassie,” said Irene, looking relieved. “They both pulled through and there were no complications?”

Belinda nodded. “Yes. They were very lucky girls.”

“Or maybe it’s something else,” said Steve. “Some kind of immunity to the infection.”

“You know… that that might also explain how Victoria survived getting bitten, too, Steve,” said Irene, turning to him. “Maybe our family has some kind of immunity?”

“Maybe all of the remaining survivors have some kind of built-in immunity,” he said.

“Or they just didn’t get the vaccine,” she answered.

“Who is Victoria?” asked Belinda.

“Our other granddaughter. She’s in Texas right now, staying at a zombie fallout shelter with some friends. We were going to check on her next. Tell her the news about her parents.”

Belinda frowned. “Where they killed?”

Irene sighed. “We believe so. They’d been on a cruise with Judy, Steve’s ex-wife, and… well, we haven’t heard from either of them. It’s not looking good.”

“It’s certainly not a good sign,” sighed Belinda.

“No,” said Steve, looking beaten. “It’s not. As you can see, the grandchildren are all we have left.”

“What a nightmare, huh?” said Belinda.

“Much worse than a nightmare,” he replied. “You can’t wake up from this.”

Irene rubbed her forehead. “I just can’t believe the girls took off like that. When we heard that everyone had made it here, we just assumed that Allie and Cassie were safe.”

“Nobody is safe,” said Belinda, glancing at Bobby. “Not here. Not anywhere.”

“I know,” she replied. “And that’s why I’m so scared.”

He patted her on the back. “Irene, it’s okay. We’ll find them.”

She looked up at him. “I hope so. We can’t lose anyone else.”

“We won’t,” he said, his voice cracking.

As Belinda stared at them, she couldn’t help but feel slightly responsible for the turn of events her dysfunctional family had created. All her life she’d had to put up with their crazy, violent ways, and she’d longed for the kind of relationship that these people had. Now, ironically, it was her family that had ruined theirs. She reached over and placed a hand on Irene’s shoulder. “I’m so sorry for your loss.”

“We’ve all lost,” replied Steve. “I’m sure you’ve lost plenty of family yourself.”

“Yes, but yours is nothing compared to mine.”  She glanced at Bobby, who was looking at a picture book on the floor and felt nauseated at the thought of losing him. “That little guy, however, I don’t know what I’d do if he ever got hurt.”

“Oh, is he yours?” asked Irene, turning to look at the small boy.

“Actually, he’s your granddaughter’s future brother-in-law.”

“What?” they gasped in unison.

Belinda chuckled. “I take it you’ve never met Bryce De Luca?”

Irene shook her head. “No. Cassie is engaged? Seriously?”

“Seriously.  He’s a nice guy, too,” said Belinda. “Handsome, strong, a real fighter.”

“Well, she’s a little young to be engaged,” said Steve, frowning.

“Maybe, but Bryce adores her, and believe me, he won’t stop searching for Cassie until he finds her.”

“Let’s hope he finds Allie and Kylie, too,” said Irene.

“He did,” said Bobby, out of nowhere.

They turned to him.

“What was that, Bobby?” asked Belinda, walking toward him. She bent down. “What did you say, honey?”

“Bryce gave this to me” he replied, holding up his book. “He loves me.”

“He certainly does,” agreed Belinda, ruffling his hair. “We all love you, kid.”

“Well, what do we do now?” asked Irene, turning to Steve.

“We go back,” he replied, picking up his rifle. “Find our granddaughters.”

“I’m coming with,” said Bobby. He stood up and walked over to them. “Let’s go. Right now.”

“Honey, you have to stay here,” said Belinda.

“No,” he said. “I have to go and save the baby.”

The adults looked at each other, surprised at his response. “Baby, what baby?”

“They call her the ‘Chosen One’,” he replied.

“The ‘Chosen One’?” asked Belinda.

“Yes,” he replied. “And she really needs me.”

“Oh, Bobby… I’m sorry, honey, but you’re not going anywhere,” said Belinda. “It’s much too dangerous to go on a road trip right now.”

“They’re going,” he replied.

“That’s different,” said Belinda.

“Linny, please, I have to leave with them.”

She knelt down next to him again. “Bobby…”

His eyes took on an intelligence that shocked her. “Belinda,” he said evenly. “You don’t understand. We are running out of time. All of us.”

2

Allie and Kylie

“Did you hear that?”

“No,” whispered Allie in the cold, musty darkness.

“I think someone’s coming.”

It had been a few hours since the girls had been taken to an old house somewhere in Minneapolis by Billie. There, they’d been welcomed by a small group of people, who were now holding them prisoner in a bedroom up in the attic.

Allie sat with her back against the wall, staring down at the quiet baby in her arms, who surprisingly, hadn’t slept or fussed for hours. In fact, Adria gazed up at her intently, and she almost felt like the baby was trying to somehow console her.

“Don’t worry,” she whispered down at her. “I’m scared too, but I haven’t given up yet. Neither should you.”

“Hey, did you hear me?”

Allie sighed. “Yes,” she replied, trying to remain calm. As much as she wanted to remain positive, the truth was that they were being held prisoner by a bunch of psychopaths, and nobody knew where to find them. Not Cassie, Kristie, or even Bryce. “Well, maybe they’ll bring us some food, I’m starving.”

The noises out in the hallway drifted away and Kylie crawled over to them. “I wouldn’t trust eating their food. They might poison us or something. Anyway, we have to try and escape, before they hurt Adria.”

She held the baby closer. “I’m surprised they haven’t tried taking her from us.”

“I think they’re afraid to touch her.”

“Good. Crazy whackos. Do you really think that Adria is what they say she is?”

Kylie lay on her back and stared up at the ceiling. “The ‘Chosen One’?”

“Yeah.”

She paused for a few seconds. “Oh, I don’t know. Heck, I don’t even know what being the ‘Chosen One’ really means.”

“What about the ‘End of Days’ thing you were talking about before? The signs of the apocalypse and all that?”

Kylie sighed. “I don’t know. I mean, they never mentioned anything about a baby or any other kind of person saving the world. This just doesn’t fit in to what it is supposed to say in the Bible.”

“Have you read it?”

“No. I’m just going by what I saw on cable.”

“I haven’t read the Bible either. It just looked so long and confusing. What else did it say on that documentary show?”

Kylie sat back up. “Well, from what I remember, there would be a lot of bad things happening, like the seas turning red, earthquakes, volcanoes, and then complete darkness. There were also supposed to be two evil men who would join forces. One of them gets possessed by Satan, making him the Antichrist. They referred to all three of them as the ‘Unholy Trinity’.”

“Now that’s confusing,” said Allie, wishing she would have gone to church more. To her, church had always made her sleepy and even a little bored.

“I know. You’ve heard of the ‘Holy Trinity’, right? Father, Son, Holy Spirit?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, this ‘Unholy Trinity’ is supposed to be Satan’s mockery of that. So, it’s Satan, the Antichrist, and the False Prophet.”

“Is the Antichrist supposed to be Satan’s son or something?”

“Not sure. I think that Satan takes over his body though, or something later.”

“Oh, well what about the False Prophet? Where does he fit in to all of this?” she asked, now really getting the chills. All of this talk about the Devil was freaky.

Kylie thought back to what they’d said. “Um… oh yeah, I think the other dude is supposed to try and turn people away from God or something. That’s why they called him a ‘False Prophet’.”

“Oh.”

“This just doesn’t seem right, though. This isn’t happening the way they explained it. And I definitely don’t remember anything about a ‘Chosen One’.”

Allie rubbed Adria’s back. “Honestly, the more I think about it, the harder it is to believe that a small baby could have that kind of power and be able to save the world.”

“Well, those people in the next room obviously believe that she is a real threat. I think they’re planning something for her and I’m getting some really bad vibes about it.”

Allie studied Adria’s face. All she could see was a pretty baby blowing bubbles and making gurgling noises. “Adria can’t even crawl yet, how is she supposed to be a threat to anyone?” she replied as the baby tried to grab a lock of her blond hair.

Kylie reached over and touched the baby’s head. “I know. Obviously, they’re all wacked in the head and all of that talk about the End of Days happening right now is really just a bunch of crap. We have to keep her safe from those delirious freaks. No matter what.”

Voices on the other side of the doorway startled them. Kylie and Allie stood up and backed away from the door.

“Ah… here are my girls,” said Billie, turning on the light.

A younger woman stood behind him, carrying a metal tray. She smiled pleasantly.

“Why are you just sitting around here in the darkness?” asked Billie. “There’s a generator, you know. The lights actually do work.”

Neither girl responded, just stared in unease as the couple stepped closer.

“We brought you some food. I’m sure you’re famished,” he said, motioning toward the tray as the woman set it down on the old pine nightstand next to the bed.

Allie stared at the cheesy pizza and cans of grape soda; her stomach growled.

“See, you’re hungry,” said Billie. “You girls must like pizza? Am I right?”

They both nodded.

He grinned like the Cheshire Cat. “Just what I thought. As you can see, there is a lot of cheesy goodness on the pizza, and it’s probably one of the last ones edible on this planet.” He inhaled. “Smell that sauce? Let me tell you, I had a piece of this earlier, and it’s to die for.”

Kylie glanced at Allie, her eyes wide.

“Come on now, don’t let this treasure go to waste,” he prodded, lifting one of the plates. He held it under Allie’s nose and smiled again as she bit her lower lip. “It’s all yours. Don’t be foolish and waste such a treat.”

Allie, unable to take the smell or the hunger tormenting her inside, turned to Kylie. “Maybe one piece wouldn’t hurt? We haven’t eaten for such a long time.”

Kylie frowned. They’d just talked about this. “Allie.”

Allie sighed.

“Look, even the baby wants some,” giggled the woman.

Adria, staring at the mouthwatering food, tried reaching for the plate.

“No,” said Allie, stepping away from the pizza. “You can’t have that, Adria. I’m sorry.”

“Oh… hell, just give her some,” said Billie as Adria began to whimper in frustration. “She needs to eat. Just like you two.”

“But not this, she’ll choke. Do you have any bottled water?” asked Kylie. “She’s dehydrated and needs water.”

“I’ll see what we can find,” he replied. He turned to Jenny and nodded.

Allie’s stomach rumbled again; she wanted nothing more than to eat. “Billie, please let us go,” she begged. “We just want to get back to our families.” And food we can trust, she thought.

“Tell you what,” he said, sitting down on the bed. “If you do what you’re told and help me with something, I’ll release you.”

“Help you? With what?” asked Kylie.

A cold smile spread across his face. “Retribution.”

3

Cassie

“What in the hell is going on?” repeated Kristie for the fourth time. “Why would that numbskull take off with the girls like that? I mean, who does that?”

Kristie, Paige, Nora, and I were in my grandparents’ family room, stunned and confused as to why Billie had disappeared with Allie, Kylie, and Adria.

I looked up from the sofa as Kristie paced across the room, obviously on the verge of a panic attack. “Maybe he took them to Atlanta?”

She looked at me like I was crazy. “Without us? It just doesn’t make any sense. Nora, what do you think is going on? You knew him better than any of us.”

Nora, who was sitting cross-legged on the floor, flicking a lighter, looked up. “I don’t know. I’m as confused as you guys. I mean, he seemed fine, didn’t he?”

“Yeah, actually a little too fine,” I replied. “He went from mottled and zombish to acting like he could run a marathon. It was beyond creepy, even for Billie.”

“Billie isn’t creepy,” defended Nora. “He’s just obviously… confused.”

“Frankly, his confusion is going to bring him a royal ass-kicking when I get my hands on him,” replied Kristie, pulling out an empty pack of smokes from her purse. Scowling, she crumpled it up and threw it across the room. “No offense, Nora.”

“Don’t be. He deserves a beating. I’ll even hold him down for you,” she replied.

“If we can even find him,” I replied. Truthfully, I was worried that he was going through the same psychosis as Austin. If that was the case, then the girls were in more trouble than anyone could possibly imagine. I was almost afraid to bring it up.

“Okay, this is what we should do - once the guys find us a decent ride, we’ll head back toward Atlanta,” said Kristie. “I don’t know, for some reason I feel like that’s where he’s taken them. Obviously, we all know that Billie is a nice guy and I find it hard to believe that he would hurt them intentionally. He’s probably just confused. Like Nora said.”

“Exactly,” said Nora. “He is one of the nicest guys I’ve ever met. The Billie I know would never hurt anyone, especially those girls.”

“Okay, I hate to bring this up, again,” said Paige, who was sitting next to me on the sofa, “and I know you all think that I’m crazy, but… is it possible that he was being controlled by Travis and that’s why he left?”

“Oh, for God’s sake,” said Kristie. “You can’t possibly believe that after Travis died, his soul jumped into Billie’s body?”

“Why not?” she asked. “We all agree that Travis was some kind of demon, right? So maybe his demonic spirit is inside of Billie now, controlling him.”

Kristie sat down on a recliner and put her head in her hands. “I’m sorry, but I’m still having trouble accepting that Travis was nothing more than a freaken psychopath. Hell, he died from getting shot in the chest. If he was really a demon, I doubt that would have happened.”

“Not if he was just borrowing the body. He probably goes around jumping from victim to victim. Like in the movies… you know?” answered Paige.

Kristie sighed. “Honey, this is not the movies.”

“Obviously. It’s real life, one that’s filled with zombies, bloody rivers, and death. If we can accept that, then why are demons so hard to imagine?”

“Good point,” replied Kristie, sitting back. “Now I’m really going to lose my mind worrying about this. Thank you.”

“I’m sorry, mom, but we have to consider everything. What about you, Cassie?” asked Paige, turning to me. “What do you think?”

I stared down at my nails, which were bitten down to the skin. It seemed liked years ago that I’d been sitting in Mae’s chair getting my nails done and my eyebrows plucked. I sighed. “Okay, fine… I think he’s either going crazy from the zombie virus, or,” I looked up, “you’re right and he’s been possessed by Travis. Both ideas are pretty scary.”

“Billie is not possessed,” said Nora, putting the lighter back into the pocket of her faded blue jeans. “That’s totally ridiculous.”

“I don’t know what to believe anymore,” said Kristie. “I just want them safe. I hope the guys get back here soon so we can start looking for them. I should probably check on Henry. See if he’s up so we can get moving right away when they return.”

Henry was in one of the guestrooms taking a nap while Bryce, Tiny, and Justice had gone in search of a vehicle that we could all fit into.

“Good idea,” I replied. I stood up and walked to the large bay window and stared outside. It was dark, well past midnight, and the yard looked like something out of a horror movie massacre. I glanced at the slaughtered zombies sprawled out all over the lawn and wondered if Bryce and the others were having problems with any more undead.

“You see them yet?” asked Paige.

I looked over my shoulder at her. “No. They’ve been gone for over an hour. I can’t believe it would take this long to find something in this neighborhood.”

Paige walked over and stood next to me. “It’s finding a large enough vehicle with gas in it that’s difficult, I’m sure.”

Before I could answer, a zombie staggered into view from the side of the house. We watched as it wandered into the center of the yard and then stopped under the moonlight, swaying back and forth. Like the others, it was in rough shape, with its bloody torso and stringy decayed flesh barely covering bone. This one also had a stump for an arm and was one the verge of losing its ratty flowered dress. With her long red hair, she reminded me of Eva a little, and I couldn’t help but shudder.

“It’s pretty bad when you see something like that and it doesn’t even shock you anymore,” said Paige as we stared.

The zombie turned around, as if it heard us talking, and started in our direction.

“Oh, great,” said Kristie, now standing behind us. “I hope it doesn’t attract any other ones that may be hanging out in the other yards. They’re much scarier in packs. Like rabid dogs.”

The zombie, now clearly on a mission, stumbled up the first two steps and then tripped on the third, landing on her face.

“What a life, huh?” sighed Kristie, staring at the zombie with empathy. She shook her head. “It’s just a damn shame. I’ll bet that girl had it all before. Now, she’s just a walking corpse with her bra hanging out and her dress stuck in her panties. Kind of reminds me of college. Those parties were crazy.”

“Actually, if you think about it, they don’t have it too bad,” said Paige. “Think about it - no cares in the world except finding food. They’re not conscious about how they look, if they need a shower, or what may have happened to their missing arm. Nothing matters but finding food.”

The zombie slowly lifted itself from the ground and then staggered to the window. Placing a hand on the glass, she stared at us silently with her pale eyes.

“I don’t know what’s creepier – her staring at us or us staring back. What do you think she’s thinking?” mumbled Kristie.

“Remember going to the bakery and staring at all of the donuts through the glass?” said Paige. “Thinking they all looked so yummy.”

I grimaced, and the zombie’s black lips pulled up into a black toothy grin, as if it knew what we were talking about. Its eyes traveled slowly to Kristie, who took a step back.

“Okay…why in the hell is that thing smiling at me?” she asked in a strained voice. “Like it knows something that I don’t.”

Page smirked. “Hell, I think she just found her donut.”

“Time to close shop,” I said, pulling the cord on the curtain. Seeing that cold smile on the zombie’s face was giving me the creeps. It made me wonder if there was something actually going on up there.

Paige and Kristie stood back. As the curtain started to close, the zombie began to moan its frustration and slap at the glass with its one hand.

“That window isn’t going to break, is it?” asked Paige when I dropped the cord.

“No,” said Kristie. “It should hold up.” Her eyebrows furrowed. “Actually, maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad idea to have your weapons within reach, girls.”

“I think we’ll be fine. That glass is pretty thick,” I said. “She’d have to throw something pretty heavy at it for it to break. I doubt she has enough sense to do something like that.”

The window slapping sound stopped.

Paige snorted. “Don’t give her any ideas, Cassie. I think she can hear us through that glass.”

“Even if she could, she’s not intelligent enough to do that,” I said. At least I hoped.

“Don’t underestimate those things,” said Paige.

Now, feeling nervous, I peeked through the curtain and watched as she shuffled away from the window and toward the steps. I winced as she missed them completely, landing on her face once again, this time in the grass.

I almost felt sorry for her.

She stood back up and turned around.

I closed the curtains quickly.

“What’s it doing?” asked Kristie.

“Leaving,” I said. “Hopefully.”

“Good,” replied Paige. “Maybe she’ll bother the neighbors and forget all about us.”

The neighbors.

I wondered if they’d all turned into zombies or if any of them were still around. It would have been devastating for my grandparents if they’d had to shoot any of them on their way out of here. They’d been good friends with most of the people on their block.

“You know, I’m surprised we haven’t seen many survivors. What about you, Kristie?” I asked, turning toward her. “Did you run into any on the way back?”

She took out a tube of Chapstick and applied it to her lips. “No,” she said, putting the cover back on. “We haven’t seen much. Just Adria, that creep Travis, his driver, and your grandparents’ friends on the Saint Croix. Other than that, nobody else.”

“They really didn’t want to leave, huh?” I asked, still not liking the sound of that. If things weren’t so complicated, I’d try and talk them out of staying.

Kristie nodded. “Guess not. I wasn’t there, but they told Bryce they felt safer on the boat.”

I thought about the zombies entering the water and it made the hair stand up on the back of my neck. The possibility of it actually being tainted with blood was unsettling. “Well, I hope they have weapons.”

“Tom pulled a gun on Bryce,” replied Paige. “So I’d have to say so.”

I sighed. “That’s good, I guess. I still wish they’d come back to Atlanta with us.”

Paige sat back down on the sofa and pulled her hair over her shoulder. “I know. I think Bryce may have told them about the hotel, so they can meet up with us if they change their mind.”

“Hey, are those headlights?” asked Kristie, opening the curtain again.

I stepped next to her. “I think so.” A rush of relief warmed my stomach as they grew closer. Although I knew the guys could pretty much take care of themselves, they weren’t superhuman. A bullet or even one wrong step when combating a zombie could prove deadly.

I looked outside as a large SUV stopped in front of the house. I could see Bryce in the passenger seat and I had to fight the urge to rush outside and throw my arms around him. With my luck, the zombie that looked like Eva would be my demise.

“Thank God,” said Paige. “I thought they’d never get back here.”

“Missing Justice, Paige?” asked Nora.

Her eyebrows flew up.  “No,” she protested. “Why would I miss him? I don’t even really know him.”

“Oh, come on, we all saw the way you’ve been drooling over that guy,” she replied with a smirk. “Hey, there’s nothing wrong with it.”

Paige rolled her eyes. “Whatever, I haven’t been drooling over him.”

Kristie chuckled. “She’s definitely got it for Justice. Her voice even changes when she talks to him.”

Paige scowled. “What do you mean my voice changes?”

Kristie fluttered her eyelashes. “Justice,” she gushed.  “I love that tattoo of the scorpion on your back. It’s so dreamy!”

“I didn’t say dreamy, I said cool,” snapped Paige. “Dreamy is like from the sixties.”

“Oh, come on, since when have you thought scorpions were cool?” asked Kristie.

“Since Justice removed his shirt earlier,” teased Nora. “Ever since then, she’s wanted to get stung.”

“That’s ridiculous,” replied Paige, crossing her arms under her chest.

“Oh, we’re just teasing,” said Kristie. “Lighten up.”

“Whatever,” she said. “I don’t think it’s funny.”

Kristie sighed.

Paige raised her chin. “Seriously, though, you guys have to admit, the tat was really cool.”

“It was,” I replied. It had been really cool but the sparkle in Paige’s eyes earlier hadn’t been from the tattoo. It was the guy under the ink.

Just then, the front door opened up and Tiny, Bryce, and Justice walked in.

“Well that was certainly a pain in the ass,” said Bryce, looking weary.

“Why? Did you guys run into some problems?” I asked as Tiny locked the door.

“You could say that,” replied Tiny, moving toward the window. “We were almost shot taking the Yukon that’s now parked in the alley. I think we lost them, but I don’t want to take any chances. Let’s get moving.”

“Who were they?” asked Kristie, looking out into the darkness nervously.

“Looters, I think,” said Tiny. “They took us by surprise after we located the keys for the SUV at one of the neighbor’s homes up the street. They chased us for a few miles until we finally lost them. That’s why it took us so long to get back here. You girls haven’t noticed anyone near the house, have you? A big white pickup?”

“No,” I said. “Unless they drove by without lights and we didn’t see them.”

Tiny rubbed his chin. “Well, like I said - let’s get packed and moving. Just in case.”

“I just don’t understand people,” said Kristie, frowning. “You’d think you’d want to ban together with people, not try and rob them.”

“How many were there?” I asked.

“Couldn’t tell,” said Bryce. “They started firing at us and we took off.”

“What happened?” asked Henry, stepping into the family room wearing a clean, white button-down shirt. The other one had splattered blood from Travis and we’d burned it.

“Looters again,” I said. “The guys ran into some when they went out to search for a vehicle.”

He smoothed down his white hair and put on his Stetson. “You get them bastards?”

“No, but they almost got us,” replied Tiny, walking over to Henry. “You get much sleep?”

“Just rested my eyes some,” he replied, rubbing his lower back. “Feller like me can’t sleep too long with a herniated disc.”

“You need to take it easy,” said Tiny. “You’re always overdoing it.”

“No way around it when you’re trying to fight zombies and rescue people,” he replied, patting the pocket of his shirt. “Oh, hell, where’s my chew?”

“Forget the chew, why don’t we find something for the back pain? In fact, I think I have some aspirin,” said Kristie, walking to her duffel bag.

He waved his hand. “Just keep them,” he said. “If I don’t feel the pain, I might mess it up even more.”

“You sure?” she asked, pulling out a bottle of pills. “I’ve got some right here.”

“If you really want to help my back, you’ll massage it,” he replied with a wide grin. “Haven’t had me a good back massage since the nursing home.”

“We don’t really have time, gramps,” said Tiny, frowning. “We need to get out of here and search for the girls.”

“I know,” he replied. “Obviously, my old bones can wait.”

“Don’t worry, Henry, I’ll rub those old bones of yours later,” said Kristie, kissing him on the cheek.

His eyes twinkled. “Haven’t had me a kiss or a promise for some bone rubbin’ in a very long time. This is a good woman, Tiny. Better treat her well or I’m gonna steal her from you.”

Tiny put his arm around Kristie’s waist and brushed her lips with his. “Whatcha think, babe? Am I treating you good, or do I need to step it up?”

She smiled grimly. “You find me those girls and there’s no higher step than that, Tiny.”

His face became serious. “I’m going to do everything in my power. I promise you that.”

“I know,” she replied, staring up at him. “And I have total faith that you will.”

“Damn right,” said Henry. “If we have to search the ends of the earth, we’ll find them.”

Ends of the earth.

His words made me shudder. The truth was they could be headed anywhere and it was going to take a miracle to find them. If they were still alive.

“You okay?” asked Bryce pulling me into his arms.

“Yeah. Just worried.” I closed my eyes and rested my cheek against his chest. As usual, his embrace gave me strength. “I’m just so glad you made it back to me.”

His kissed the top of my head. “Me too, Wild.”

I sighed. “I’m sorry.”

He pulled away and looked down into my eyes. “For what?”

“For coming here,” I replied softly. “If it wasn’t for me taking off like that, none of this would have happened. The girls would be safe, Luke would still be alive, and nobody would be missing.”

His eyes softened. “Don’t be so hard on yourself. Besides, if we wouldn’t have come looking for you, we wouldn’t have rescued Adria.”

“Yeah, but her life is in danger now,” I replied.

“Not as much as it was when she was on that boat in Stillwater. Another few seconds and she would have been zombie food if it wasn’t for Billie and Paige.”

“And now he’s kidnapped her. I just don’t get it.” I bit the side of my lower lip. “Where do you think he’s taken them?”

“Maybe back to Atlanta? What do you guys think?” he asked, turning around.

“I think Atlanta is a pretty good assumption,” said Nora. “Heck, maybe he misunderstood us and thought we were all driving in separate vehicles.”

Paige snorted. “I doubt it.”

Nora’s face darkened. “Why do you have to be so pessimistic all the time?”

“I’m not. It’s just that there was only one vehicle here, so why would he think that we were all driving separate? It wouldn’t make any sense,” she countered.

“It wouldn’t make sense, but he also may have not been thinking clearly,” said Nora.

“You’re right. He may have been confused,” said Kristie. “Look at what had just happened before he walked out the door. If that wasn’t enough to drive someone a little off center, I don’t know what else could.”

Paige sighed. “Yeah. Maybe.”

“There are other things to consider,” said Bryce. “I hate to say this, but it’s also possible that someone else kidnapped Billie and the girls.”

Kristie’s eyes widened. “I didn’t even think of that.”

“I’m still going with my first gut feeling,” said Paige. “And if you ask me, I believe that Billie brought the girls back to the Mall Of America.”

“Why would he bring them back there?” asked Bryce.

Kristie sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose. “Paige has this crazy notion that Travis is controlling Billie.”

Bryce’s eyebrows shot up. “How? Travis is dead. We moved his body outside, and I’m pretty sure it’s still there with a big hole in the center.”

“I’m sure it is still out there. That’s not what I meant,” said Paige, glaring at him.

“Then please explain,” said Bryce, folding his arms over his chest.

She noticed that all eyes were upon her, even Justice’s, and smiled weakly. “Well, if he really is a demon, then he could have jumped into Billie’s body after the other one was destroyed.”

“You seriously think that Billie is being possessed by a demon?” asked Bryce incredulously. He turned back to me. “What about you, Wild? Do you believe all of that stuff about demons and the ‘End of Days?’”

“I don’t know,” I replied, staring down at my left boot. I bent down and tied the laces. “I mean, we did see Travis do some crazy stuff.”

“Exactly,” said Paige. “And don’t forget about the earthquakes and the red lake water. Those were some of the signs that Billie mentioned. You know, in the ‘End of Days’.”

“He was just obsessed with that,” said Kristie. “And you were no help, Paige.”

“Well, he made some really good points,” she said.

“Excuse me, but the lake water is pink,” corrected Bryce. “Not red.”

“Close enough,” said Paige, talking faster. “And don’t forget about the St. Croix, which was pink too, and the zombies wading around in it. I’ll bet they were attracted to the blood in the water.”

Nora grimaced. “Okay, that’s disturbing.”

“You weren’t there,” said Paige. “It was worse than disturbing.”

Bryce groaned loudly. “You can’t be serious. We’re back to that old theory again?”

“Now wait a second, I think Paige might be on to something,” said Henry.

We all turned to him in stunned silence.  Henry was the last person to believe in anything supernatural.

“Don’t look at me like that. You have to admit, Travis used some kind of mind control with those zombies. And remember that ball of fire he threw at the church? Even the nuns were convinced that he was a demon.” He frowned. “No, I think Paige is on the right track and we need to high-tail it back to the mall before he kills that baby.”

Kristie’s eyes widened in horror. “Henry, you really think he’s planning on killing Adria?”

“It’s what he wants,” said Justice, speaking up for the first time. “Travis isn’t human. He had some kind of control over me that I still can’t explain. I think they’re absolutely right and Billie is being controlled by Travis.”

Tiny sighed. “Well, what do you think?” he asked, turning to Bryce. “It couldn’t hurt to check it out again.”

His lips curled under and then he sighed. “I guess we have to. I still don’t believe he’s possessed, but obviously we have to start somewhere.”

“I think you should start by having a more open mind, young feller,” chastised Henry. “It might end up saving your life.”

“He’s right,” I said, grabbing Bryce’s hand. “We all need to be ready for anything.”

“Wild,” he said, squeezing my fingers. “You’ve already taught me that lesson.”

I grinned.

4

Allie and Kylie

“Retribution?” repeated Allie after Billie and the woman left. “What is he talking about?”

“Revenge,” said Kylie, who was now holding Adria.

“I know that. What I mean is ‘why’?”

“He’s obviously crazy.”

Allie stared down at the pizza with longing. “I’m so hungry. Maybe if we just had a few bites? To give us the energy to get out of this place.”

Kylie’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t you dare eat that; he’s trying to tempt us into helping him. Don’t give in.”

“I know,” Allie sighed, turning away from the food.  She walked over to the bedroom window and looked out into the darkness. There was a tall wrought iron fence surrounding the house and six vehicles parked in the driveway below. Shortly after Billie had left the room, he’d taken off into the night with the seventh. “I just wish we could get out of here, before he returns from wherever he went.” She tapped her fingers on the window panel. “Too bad we’re so high up, or we could try climbing down.”

“Here,” said Kylie, moving toward her. “Take Adria for a while. I’m going to try and figure out a way out of here.”

Allie turned back around and took the baby, who was thankfully, still dry. She smiled down at Adria, who was sucking on her fingers. “Looks like wrapping that T-shirt around her bottom is working. She’s a lot happier now.”

“I know. I learned that in my babysitting class. Well, I learned about cloth diapers and this is close enough.”

They’d managed to find some old shirts in one of the dresser drawers and had tied one around Adria, like a cloth diaper.

Allie kissed her on the forehead. “You must be starving, though, you poor little thing. I wish there was something we could give you.”

“Maybe you should give her some of that soda?” said Kylie, pointing to the cans sitting next to the pizza.

Her eyes widened. “That can’t be good for a baby. Didn’t you learn that in babysitting class?”

“Soda never came up. Look, we have nothing else, and she’s going to be dangerously dehydrated.”

“I know, but soda?”

Kylie rubbed her eyes. “Well, I don’t know what else to do. If we don’t get something for her to drink and get the heck out of here, they’re going to kill us, one way or another.”

Allie bit her lower lip. “You really think Billie would hurt us?”

“You saw the way he was acting. Something’s definitely very wrong with him.” Kylie opened the bedroom window, removed the screen, and stuck her head out into the darkness.

“What are you doing?” asked Allie nervously.

She looked back over her shoulder. “There’s an open window a few feet away. It’s kind of small, but I think I might be able squeeze through it.”

“You’re actually going to crawl onto the roof?” gasped Allie. “What if you fall or someone sees you?”

“Don’t jinx me.” She stuck her leg out the window. “Just wish me luck.”

“Oh, my God, be careful,” she replied, lowering her voice. “And… good luck.”

“Just be ready to go,” said Kylie, pulling her other leg out.

Allie moved over to the window and her heart pounded loudly in her chest as she watched Kylie crawl across the shingles in her baggy pink shorts. They’d both lost so much weight in the last few weeks that Kylie reminded her of a prisoner of war trying to escape.

“Be careful,” whispered Allie, terrified that she’d slip and go tumbling off of the roof. But Kylie had always been fearless and daring. She’d have made a good daredevil.

If anyone can do this successfully, she thought, it’s her.

When Kylie made it to the other window, she raised her head and peeked inside. A few seconds later, she turned back to Allie, giving her the thumbs-up.

“Thank God,” whispered Allie, releasing a ragged breath as Kylie pulled the window open the rest of the way and removed the screen. She then watched as her lanky friend wiggled her way inside, head first. When Kylie was all the way in, Allie went to the bedroom door with Adria, and waited on pins and needles.

“Oh, my God,” groaned Kylie a few seconds later from the outside of the doorway. “I need a key to get it open!”

Allie’s heart sank. “Great. Now what are we going to do?”

“You are going to have to climb out of the window,” stated Kylie. “With Adria. It’s the only way.”

She stared down at the baby. “I can’t do that. What… what if I drop her?”

Kylie paused for several seconds. “Okay, I’m going to climb back outside and you can hand her to me.”

“Okay. Just hurry before someone catches you.”

“Yeah, I know,” replied Kylie. “Hang tight. I’ll be back in less than a minute.”

Allie walked back to the window and waited nervously until Kylie climbed back out onto the roof and began crawling back. When she reached the window, Allie handed her Adria and then pulled herself out of the window. She looked down at the grass below and swallowed hard. “Um, so do you want me to take her?”

“No, I’ve got her. We just have to move slowly,” Kylie whispered, scooting back toward the other window as she clutched the baby.

Allie positioned herself below Kylie as they crept along the side of the roof and reached the window, which led to a small bathroom.

“Here, take Adria,” said Kylie, holding her out.

Allie grabbed the baby.

Kylie crawled back through the window, which looked incredibly small.

“I don’t know if I can fit through there,” said Allie, handing Adria back to Kylie.

“You have to,” whispered Kylie.

“You could barely fit through it yourself, and you’re like a string bean.”

Kylie put Adria down on the floor and then turned back. “Come on, I’ll help pull you through.”

Just then, Allie noticed a pair of headlights in the distance and began to panic. “Oh God… someone’s coming!”

Kylie grabbed her arm. “Get in here before they see you!”

Panicking, Allie wriggled her way through the window, wincing from the tight fit. “Crap.”

“Are you okay?” whispered Kylie, pulling her up from the tub where she’d landed, head first.

“Yeah. Let’s just hurry up and get out of here.”

Kylie picked up Adria and they snuck out the door and down the hallway to the tall staircase leading to the foyer.

Allie stopped. “Wait, we can’t just go out the front door. Whoever is out there will catch us.”

Before she could reply, the doorbell rang.

The girls ducked behind the banister above. A few seconds later, Billie walked into the house, followed by Jenny and a stranger.

Allie peeked over the railing quickly and then ducked back down, shocked to see a priest standing in the entryway.”

“So, where is the child?” asked the priest.

“We’ve locked her in a bedroom upstairs, with the other girls,” said Billie.

“When do you expect the gates to open?” he asked.

Kylie and Allie looked at each other.

Gates?

“Soon. Now that the hole has opened, it shouldn’t be very long. We need to bring the child there, now.”

The priest let out a rattling cough. When he was finished, he wiped his forehead with a handkerchief.  “Excuse me.” He cleared his throat. “Could I get a drink of water before we return to the mall? I need to take my pills.”

“Sure, the kitchen is this way and there is some bottled water. Jenny, why don’t you prepare a bottle for the baby, so the girls will be more compliant,” replied Billie.

“Ah, a ‘Last Supper’,” replied the priest, chuckling in amusement as they walked down the hall. “How appropriate.”

Billie chuckled. “Isn’t it, though?”

After their footsteps faded, the girls fled down the staircase.

“I just can’t believe our escape was that easy,” whispered Kylie, as they opened the front door and snuck outside. “We are so lucky.”

“We haven’t escaped yet,” said Allie, feeling as if something scary was going to jump out of the darkness and attack them. Something much scarier than zombies.

“Come on,” said Kylie, who was still holding Adria. “Let’s see if the fence is locked.”

They ran past the parked cars and up to the wrought iron fence, which was about five feet tall with dark pointy spikes.

Allie stopped at the doorway and tried pushing it open, but it was locked. “This is locked and I don’t know how to open it. I think we need a key. Crap, what in the heck do we do now?”

Kylie looked along the long fence line that wrapped around the estate, biting her lip nervously. “Maybe we could climb over it. It’s not that tall.”

“Seriously?” asked Allie. “There’s no way we can get over this thing without getting… impaled.”

“Well, what other choice do we have? Maybe we can find a ladder and use it to get over.”

“Maybe. First, let’s see if there’s another way out of here,” said Allie. “Come on.”

They followed the fence to the back of the house, past the flowerbeds and a tennis court. When they found the only other gated exit, it was also locked.

“Oh God,” moaned Kylie. “How are we going to get out of here?”

Before Allie could reply, several zombies staggered out of the woods and moved toward them.

“Oh, my God!” squeaked Allie, stepping away from the gate. “They smell like a sewer!”

The zombies stumbled toward them, moaning and growling in anticipation. When the creatures made it to the fence, they tried reaching for them through the iron grates.

“Actually, I guess it’s good we didn’t get out that way,” said Kylie as they backed away from the fence.

Someone cleared their throat and both girls turned around in horror to find Billie staring down at them from the white garden gazebo in the center of the backyard.

“Crap,” mumbled Allie.

Billie, who was puffing on a cigar, blew out a cloud of smoke. The girls watched as an image appeared in the swirling mists; an image of a head with horns and a menacing smile.

Frightened, Allie and Kylie stepped closer to each other.

As the smoke dissipated, Billie smirked. “Let me guess, you needed some fresh air?”

Neither girl said anything.

Billie sighed and began walking down the wooden steps. “Did you honestly think I had no idea that you were eavesdropping when Father Brambati arrived? That you’d escaped? Oh… girls… What am I going to do with you?”

Adria’s lip went out and she began to cry.

5

Cassie

We left a note for Billie, just in case he came to his senses and returned to the house. Then we all loaded into the Yukon. Tiny and Kristie sat in the front, I lodged in between Henry and Bryce in the second row, Paige and Justice sat in the third, and Nora crawled into the back cargo area.

“You going to be okay there?” asked Justice, looking back at Nora.

She looked around and nodded. “Yeah. I’ve got plenty of room.”

“Okay, but like I said before, I’d be more than happy to switch with you.”

“Your legs are a lot longer than mine,” she replied, yawning. “You’d be cramping up in no time. Anyway, I like it back here. I’m probably going to sleep on the way. I’ll need all the rest I can get if I’m going to kick Billie’s ass back to Atlanta.”

I laughed.

Smiling, she pushed her short, dark hair back behind her ears.

“Do you miss your blue streaks?” I asked, noticing now that most of them were gone. For some reason, she’d cut her hair before we’d left, using my grandmother’s shears. I had a feeling she did it to keep her mind off of Billie, or maybe it was just the shock factor, since she’d always been kind of a rebel. It was now chin-length and made her look almost cute and perky, but I knew better than to tell her that.  She’d probably shave it all off in horror.

She shrugged. “Not really.”

“I wish I would have been more daring back in school,” said Paige, glancing shyly at Justice’s eyebrow piercing. “Like, maybe have gotten some piercings or at least a tattoo.”

“You were a little too young for a tattoo,” said Kristie over her shoulder. “I told you before that when you were eighteen, you could get one.”

Paige sighed. “Well, I guess that doesn’t help me now.”

“How old are you?” asked Justice.

“I just turned eighteen a few days ago.” She nodded toward me. “Same with Cassie.”

“Well, if things ever get back to normal, I might be able to still give you one,” he replied.

Paige raised her eyebrows. “Really?”

He smiled. “My cousin owned a tattoo shop and I had just finished my apprenticeship with him when the zombie outbreak hit.”

“What happened to your cousin?” she asked.

His smile fell. “Not really sure.”

Paige’s eyes widened. “Oh gosh, I’m sorry for bringing it up. That was… stupid.”

“Don’t worry about it. We all lost people. Besides, he was a pretty mean S.O.B. when he wanted to be. Chances are that if he didn’t get the flu shot, he’s still alive, beating the shit out of the undead.”

“Did he have any family, other than you?” she asked.

“His old lady and their new baby.”

“A baby?” Paige put her hand to her chest. “Oh, man, I hope they’re okay.”

He sighed. “Yeah, me too.”

I decided it might be a good time to change the subject. Death and babies were hitting it too close to home for all of us now. Especially with the current situation. I turned to Bryce. “I really like your tattoos,” I said, tracing my finger along one of the black dragons on his forearm. “I can’t believe the detail. Whoever did it knew what they were doing. Um, when did you get them?”

“Got both of them after I graduated high school,” he said, looking down at his arms. “Kind of a graduation gift to myself.”

“Nice,” I replied.

He put his hand on my knee and squeezed it. “What about you, have you ever wanted one?”

“I thought about it, but never brought it up to my parents.”

“Why?” he asked.

I tilted my head to the side. “Come on, you met my dad. He wasn’t exactly open-minded about stuff like that.”

“He was a little overprotective, but something tells me that if you really would have wanted one, he would have caved.”

I smiled sadly. “Maybe.”

“Hey, we should both get one at the same time,” said Paige. “When things settle down.”

If things ever settled down. Everything seemed to be getting worse as time went on.

I licked my lips. “I don’t know. Does it hurt?”

Nora burst out laughing. “Wild, after everything you’ve been through, you’re worried about a little needle?”

My cheeks turned red. “I just hate needles.”

“It’s not that bad,” said Justice. “Well, obviously in some places the skin is much more sensitive.”

“You’ve got that right,” said Kristie. “I cried like a baby getting mine.”

Paige mumbled something and looked out the window.

“You have ink? Where?” asked Justice.

Kristie smiled. “Well, it’s hidden.”

“Where is it?” asked Henry, coming to life. “On one of your bosoms?”

Paige rolled her eyes. “No. It’s on her back.”

Henry sat up straighter. “Oh, she get one of them there tramp stamps?”

Tiny burst out laughing. “Damn right she did.”

Kristie reached over and slugged him in the shoulder.

“What?” he pouted. “I think it’s beautiful.”

She wrinkled her nose. “I just don’t like that term… ‘tramp stamp’. I mean, I thought it was funny before, but now that I’ve gotten one, it’s irritating to hear the same jokes, over and over. My tattoo is a work of art… not a place to put your beer.”

Bryce and Justice burst out laughing.

Tiny struggled to keep a straight face.

Henry looked confused.

I glanced at Paige, who looked like she wanted to throw up and then crawl under the seat in front of her.

“Sorry, babe,” replied Tiny, slipping his hand behind her neck and then squeezing her shoulder. “You know I think you’re one of the classiest women on the planet.”

“Thank you,” she said, pulling her dark hair over to the side. “You’re forgiven.”

“I love tattoos on women,” said Henry. “Although the last one I saw was on Sally Mae, a friend of mine at the nursing home. Her tattoo was supposed to be a clover-leaf, but damn if it didn’t look more like a beanstalk. Course, the thing must have grown over fifty years.”

Tiny laughed and started the engine.

Paige rubbed her forehead. “God, I’m not going to even ask where that was located.” She turned to Justice. “So did your cousin do your back?”

“Yeah.”

“It looks really good,” replied Paige, her cheeks turning pink as her eyes met his. “The tattoo, I mean.”

He grinned. “Thanks.”

“She really means your back,” chirped in Nora.

Paige clenched her teeth. “Would you just quit already?”

Nora laughed.

“Girls, take it easy back there,” said Kristie.

“Yeah,” teased Bryce. “You’re going to embarrass Justice. You know, us guys don’t appreciate being treated like sex objects. It just isn’t right.”

“Speak for yourself,” said Henry.

This time we all laughed.

As we drove around the block, Tiny glanced back at us. “Everyone keep your eyes peeled for headlights. We don’t want to run into those jerks in the truck again.”

I reached down and touched the crowbar by my feet, making sure that I hadn’t forgotten it. I’d run out of gun ammunition, although fortunately, the guys still had a few rounds. I didn’t really care, though; I was beginning to prefer hand-to-hand combat when it came to the zombies. The living, however, well they were a different story. “You have your gun, right?” I asked Bryce.

He nodded. “Yeah, I also brought one for you. Don’t worry, we’ll get more ammunition. I want you to have a loaded gun whenever possible.”

I stared out into the darkness. “Good luck finding any.”

“We’re going to check out the police station in Saint Paul. They must have ammunition there. Who knows, maybe we’ll even find more survivors,” he replied. “Ones that still protect and serve.”

“That’s a great idea,” said Kristie. “I can’t believe we didn’t think of that before.”

“If there are any guns or ammunition, I’m sure they’ve been stolen,” said Tiny. “But it’s still worth a shot, anyway.”

“What time is it?” I asked.

“It’s almost four in the morning,” replied Kristie as she turned on the radio and began to scroll through static.

My eyes widened. “Wow, I had no idea it was that late. You guys were gone for longer than I thought.”

“It was those bastards in the truck,” said Tiny, turning toward the road that wrapped around the lake. “It took a long time to lose them. Too long. There was no getting around it, though. Couldn’t have them following us back to you guys.”

“I know,” I replied, biting my thumbnail. “I’m just so worried about the girls.”

Bryce patted my knee. “It’ll be okay.”

Tiny looked into the rearview mirror and swore.

I turned around.

Headlights.

“Shit,” said Bryce. “I think that’s them. Everyone keep your heads down.”

I hunched down with the others while Tiny accelerated.

“What in the hell is wrong with these guys?” cried Kristie. “Don’t they know we’re on the same side?”

“Obviously, we’re not on the same side, babe,” said Tiny. He frowned. “Oh yeah, that’s the pickup, all right.”

The sound of gunshots exploded from behind.

“Are you freaken kidding me?!” hollered Nora.

I turned to look back at her. “Oh, my God, are you okay?”

“Yeah.”

“Should we fire back?” asked Justice.

“Not yet,” said Tiny. “Hold on.”

Tiny turned a corner quickly and the tires squealed in protest.

“Oh, my God,” moaned Kristie, as another bullet hit the SUV. “Is everyone okay?”

“Screw this shit,” said Nora. “Hand me a gun!”

“No,” said Bryce. “Just stay down.”

“Easy for you to say, I’m the one closest to the bullets!” she hollered.

The back window blew out from the next round of bullets and Nora screamed as the glass shattered all around her.

“Oh, my God!” yelled Kristie. “Are you okay, Nora?”

“I’m not dead… yet! Someone, give me a gun now!” she growled. “Come on!”

“Stay down, Nora,” ordered Justice as he crawled into the back and began firing his gun through the broken window.

Noticing that we were firing back, the truck slowed and put more distance between us.

“They’re hanging back. Nora, why don’t you climb over and get next to Paige,” said Justice.

Nora crawled over the seat, swearing. “My hand’s bleeding from the glass,” she said, clenching her teeth. Wincing, she pulled out a piece of glass. “Does anyone have a rag or something?”

“Here,” said Bryce, removing his T-shirt. He threw it at her and she wrapped it around her hand.

“Thanks. Dammit, if I get my hands on the person who did this, he’s going to need more than a bandage to stop the blood,” she muttered.

We pulled onto the highway. “Let’s see how far they’re meaning to go with this,” said Tiny.

I looked back. Sure enough, the white pickup turned onto the highway too. They weren’t giving up.

.

6

Allie and Kylie

Billie walked toward them. “Girls, girls, girls… there is no escaping me, haven’t you figured that out yet?”

Kylie tightened her hold on Adria, who was staring up with frightened eyes. “Please, Billie, just let us go. We’ve never done anything to you.”

“Still think I’m Billie, huh?” He took another puff of his cigar. “Tell me, where does your faith lie?”

“What do you mean?” asked Allie.

“Who do you serve?”

“You’re asking us if we serve God, right?” asked Kylie, getting angry. “Obviously, I’m on His side. What does that have to do with anything, Billie?”

“Just curious. What about you?” he asked, turning to Allie who stared at him in fear. “Do you feel the same way?”

“Yes.”

“Really?” His eyes bore into hers. “You mean to tell me that you would love a God who has allowed all of this death and destruction without so much as offering a helping hand?”

Her eyes widened. “I…”

He raised his voice. “A God who allowed your parents to be struck down so viciously? Does that sound like someone who has your back or cares what happens to you?”

“Don’t listen to him, Allie,” said Kylie. “He’s trying to confuse you.”

“The only thing confusing is why the planet has gone to piss and He,” he wrinkled his nose, “hasn’t raised one finger to help any of you.”

Kylie raised her chin. “Maybe He has and we just don’t know it.”

“Or, maybe this was His plan all along. Maybe, He’s taken all of his favorites and has turned His back on the rest of you. I mean, if you really take a look at the big picture, it makes much more sense. He has certainly taken more souls than what has been left behind.”

“No,” said Kylie, her face paling. “I don’t believe that.”

He smiled darkly. “Come on now. Deep inside, you’re beginning to have doubts.”

“You’re just trying to mess with our minds. To try and get us to do what you want,” said Kylie.

He snorted. “Pfft, I can already do that. But, I have to admit, you girls impress me. Your spunk and will to survive is very admirable. Qualities that shouldn’t be ignored.” He pointed his thumb up toward the sky. “Too bad someone else doesn’t appreciate you like I do.”

Neither girl said anything.

Lightning lit up the sky in the distance, followed by a low roll of thunder.

“Here comes the rain again,” sang Billie as the drops began. He raised his palms up as it began to pour and tilted his face toward the moon. “Tears from the sky!” he hollered, grinning. “Excuse me while I relish in this.”

“Creepy,” mumbled Allie as she and Kylie took cover by the side of the gazebo.

Still standing in the rain, he wiped his face with his hand and looked over at them. “Girls, we’re going for a ride!”

Allie and Kylie looked at each other.

“Don’t even think about trying to escape,” he said. “It will never happen. Just face it.”

“Where are you taking us?” asked Kylie.

He walked over and leaned against the side of the Gazebo. “Well, now, it’s a surprise.”

“We’re tired of surprises,” muttered Allie.

“Oh, I’m pretty sure you won’t want to miss this one. It’s like nothing you’ve ever seen.”

The girls stepped back.

“Don’t be frightened now,” he said. “Jenny has prepared a bottle of formula for the baby and we have a guest who’s going to be joining us. Father Brambati.”

“Is he really a priest?” asked Allie.

“Of course he is,” replied Billie, tossing his soggy cigar onto the grass.

Kylie’s eyes narrowed. “You forget, but we heard what you said - about sacrificing Adria. A real priest wouldn’t allow it.”

He studied her quietly in the darkness and then smiled. “Actually, I only said that because I knew you were listening. I was pissed that you were trying to escape. I didn’t mean it.”

“You didn’t?” asked Kylie in disbelief.

His eyes widened. “Sacrificing a baby? What kind of a person do you think I am? Now, if you want to know the truth, we’re taking you back to your family. It was Father Brambati’s suggestion. He actually helped me come to my senses, can you believe it? I have to admit, I haven’t been thinking clearly the last few days.”

“You are now, though?” cried Allie, feeling relieved. “Really?”

A louder boom of thunder caused both girls to squeal.

Billie frowned. “The storm is going to get worse. We’d better leave.”

Kylie and Allie looked at each other nervously again.

“Well? You coming,” he asked, walking away from them and back toward the house.

“What should we do?” whispered Allie.

“I don’t know if I really trust him,” replied Kylie.

Allie sighed. “You know what? Me neither, but, for some reason, I kind of feel that going with him is the right thing to do.”

Kylie nodded. “I know. Strange, but me too.”

They both looked at the baby, who was sucking noisily on her fingers again.

“Don’t worry,” said Allie, touching the baby’s soft hair. “We won’t let anyone hurt you.”

Adria lowered her head against Kylie’s shoulder and closed her eyes.

7

Cassie

The truck continued to follow us as we entered Saint Paul.

“What are we going to do?” asked Kristie, looking back. “Just let them follow us all the way to the Mall Of America? See if they’ll join us for breakfast?”

“I think we should feed them to the zombies for breakfast,” sneered Nora. “Dirt-bags.”

“Actually,” said Tiny, tapping his thumbs on the steering wheel. “I have a better idea.”

“I hope so,” answered Kristie.

I glanced back at the lights, wondering why we were so important to the people in the truck. If they were only trying to steal from us, and now knew that we were armed, why wouldn’t they just go to an easier target?

As if reading my thoughts, Bryce leaned over. “Don’t worry, we’ll pull through this. We always do.” He looked back. “I swear, some people are just plain assholes.”

I stared at his shadowed profile, thankful that we were facing this together. His strength and confidence helped put me at ease. “They’ve got to know there are more of us than them. Why are they so gung-ho on chasing us like this? I just don’t get it. Especially after knowing now that we’re armed.”

Our eyes met again. As usual, I could feel myself blush under his scrutiny.

His blue eyes traveled to my cheeks and he grinned. “Hold still.” Raising his fingers, he removed a stray lash from under my right eye. “In answer to your question, they’re obviously nuts. Don’t think too hard about it. We’ll be rid of them soon. Either they’ll get tired of trailing us, or there will be some kind of standoff. Obviously, we’ll win.”

“Obviously,” I repeated, smiling at his cockiness.

Henry grunted. “I say we just pull over to the side of the road and have it out with the sons-of-bitches right now. Quit playing cat and mouse.”

“That’s too dangerous,” said Tiny.

“Well, from the look of things, we’re going to have to face them sooner or later,” he replied. “I’d rather do it now. Get it over with before I keel over and you have one less gunner.’”

Tiny turned on the windshield wipers as the rain began once again. “Don’t worry about it. I’ve got a plan.”

“So you said before. Well, I hope this plan involves some serious shooting, because my trigger finger is getting itchy,” said Henry, curling and uncurling his right hand. “And I tell you what, if anyone deserves a cap in their ass, it’s those fools.”

I grinned. “A cap in their ass?”

He nodded. “Damn right. Firing at us like that. We’ve got women and children in this truck. Hell, at least the zombies attack for good reason - they’re hungry. The rest of these yahoos are just doing it for kicks.”

Tiny pulled off the highway.

“Uh, where are you going?” asked Kristie, tensing up.

“Police station,” he said. “We need more ammunition and maybe we’ll get lucky and find some actual help.”

“They’re still following,” said Justice.

“Yeah, but they’re keeping their distance. I’m going to try and lose them,” said Tiny, looking into his rearview mirror. “Everyone, hold on.”

Kristie sucked in her breath. “Oh, Lord.”

He turned a corner and then weaved through a couple of abandoned cars. When he reached the next corner, he took it sharp, and then floored it to the next street.

I looked back as he turned again and noticed the other vehicle still trying to keep up.

“Keep at it!” called Justice from the back. “A few more turns and we might get lucky.”

“Turn off the lights,” said Bryce.

“I can barely see as it is with the rain, but what the hell,” said Tiny, shutting them off. “Danger is my middle name.”

A few turns later, we’d lost them.

“Good job,” said Bryce.

“See,” said Tiny, grinning back at us in the rearview mirror. “Didn’t I tell you? My plans work, Dawg.”

“They’re obviously not too far away, so don’t go celebrating just yet,” scoffed Henry. “Dawg.”

“Tiny, do you know where the nearest police station even is?” I asked.

He glanced at me through the rearview mirror. “Not exactly. Fortunately, I’ve never had to deal with the police in this state.”

“Turn left up there,” said Bryce. “We’re only a few miles away. I’ll give you directions.”

“Oh, and you’ve been there?” I asked.

He smiled. “Yeah.”

My eyes narrowed. “Why?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” he teased.

I cocked an eyebrow. “What kind of a question is that? Why?”

He chuckled. “Relax. Just a couple of speeding tickets. My motorcycle has a mind of its own.” His face grew solemn. “Or at least it did.”

I reached down and squeezed his hand. “You miss your bike, don’t you?”

“I miss a lot of things,” he replied.

“Me too,” I said. “More than anything… I miss a normal life. One with my parents and sister.”

He pouted.

“And you,” I said, elbowing him playfully in the stomach. “A normal life with you, my family, and all of our friends.”

“You got that right,” said Kristie. “A normal life without zombies or assholes in white pickup trucks.”

“Speaking of,” said Tiny. “You guys keep your eyes peeled. Just in case. Hey, you getting wet from the rain back there, Justice?”

“A little. But I won’t melt.”

“Good. How’s your hand doing, Nora?” asked Tiny.

“It’s okay,” she said. “It’s still bleeding, but I’ll live.”

“Good.” Tiny turned left as we all watched uneasily for the headlights while Bryce continued giving directions. When we finally reached the police station, there were three squad cars parked in the back lot, along with a few regular ones. The building, unfortunately, was dark like the rest of the city, and didn’t look very promising.

“It looks pretty empty,” said Kristie, craning her neck as we drove around the building. “Otherwise wouldn’t there be lights somewhere? I’m sure they’d have had to have a backup generator.”

“Even if this place is inhabited, I’m guessing they’d be conserving energy,” said Tiny. “Especially this late at night.”

As we pulled into the parking lot, I noticed a couple of familiar shadows lumbering around the garbage dumpsters. As soon as they noticed us, the zombies turned and began shuffling our way in earnest.

Frowning, Tiny backed up the SUV until the fender was up against a tall metal fence. “There, this should make it harder for any of those bastards to get in through that broken window.”

Kristie’s forehead wrinkled. “Well, let’s hope. There’s still a little clearance.”

“It will be fine,” replied Tiny.

The zombies approached the SUV in the rain, their gaunt faces slick with water. If anything, I thought they looked even more gruesome.

“I suppose we should take these two out,” said Tiny.

“I’ve got ‘em,” said Justice. He climbed out of the back window holding a baseball bat and charged after them.

“Be careful, Justice!” hollered Paige.

“See what I mean?” said Kristie. “If a big kid like him can get out, they can certainly get in.”

“He still had to inch his way out. The zombies aren’t going to figure out how to maneuver their way in,” replied Tiny.

“Let’s hope not,” she said.

“Uh, you guys better get out there and help Justice,” said Paige, watching as several more zombies rounded the corner of the precinct.

Tiny pulled a gun out of the glove compartment, stuck it into his jeans, and then grabbed a wooden mallet sitting by Kristie’s feet. “After we take care of these guys, you should be just fine waiting for us out here.” He looked back. “Hey, you coming, Gramps? I’m sure you need to stretch out your legs and relieve some pressure in your back.”

Henry didn’t answer, he was sleeping.

I picked up the crowbar. “He’s out cold.”

“Whoa, what are you doing?” asked Bryce.

I nodded toward the building. “What does it look like I’m doing? You need my help.”

He touched my arm. “Oh no… you stay out here with the girls. Tiny, Justice, and I can handle this on our own.”

I raised my eyebrows. “You don’t know exactly what’s in there. There could be a dozen zombies wandering around.”

“Even better that you stay out here,” he said.

“Look,” I said, clenching my teeth. “I think I’ve proven time and time again that I’m not a liability, Bryce. Don’t start getting all macho on me again…”

“Cassie, why don’t you just stay out here with us,” said Kristie. “I seriously think the three of them can handle it.”

“Actually, I think we should all go inside the station,” said Paige, biting her lip as Justice dislodged the bat from one of the zombie’s crushed skulls and then aimed it toward another. “What if those guys in the pickup somehow find us?”

“I hope they do,” said Nora, removing Bryce’s shirt from her hand. Seeing more blood seep out of the largest cut, she grimaced. “So I can thank them personally for this.”

“Honestly, the chances of those guys finding us are pretty slim,” replied Bryce. “I’m sure you’ll all be safer out here in the SUV.” He held out his gun to me. “Especially, if you’re armed with this.”

“Fine,” I said stiffly, taking it.

“Gross,” muttered Kristie, as a male zombie, most of his jaw exposed, began stroking the window with his tongue. “God, do they honestly think if they keep licking the glass like that, they’ll get to us?”

“Uh, someone better get out there,” reminded Paige, as three more zombies surrounded Justice. “Hurry up, you guys!”

“Paige is right, we’d better take care of these guys before they attract even more attention,” said Tiny. He opened the door and joined a very winded Justice.

“Be careful!” cried Kristie as Tiny raised the mallet and charged the nearest zombie.

“Actually, Bryce, I think they could both use a little help out there,” said Nora, wincing as Justice tripped over one of the zombies on the cement and landed on his back. Another leaped on top of him and tried gnashing at his face with her teeth. She was tall, at least six feet, and carried a lot of weight, especially for a zombie.

“You’re underestimating them,” answered Bryce. “Hell, Tiny lives for this stuff. He’s a wrestler and enjoys the challenge. Let him have some fun before I get out there and finish the rest of these guys.”

I couldn’t help but snort.

“Maybe so, but I don’t think Justice is having fun with that Amazon woman,” replied Paige, chewing on her lip.

Scowling, Justice tried flipping the zombie off of him, but her weight was too much, even for a muscular guy like him.

“Tiny! Help Justice!” hollered Paige.

Tiny, cursing loudly, ran over to Justice, picked up the zombie as if she weighed nothing more than a pencil, and tossed her into the garbage dumpster.

“Nice,” chuckled Kristie.

Tiny smiled cockily and flexed his muscles.

“Mm…. mm… mm…” said Kristie. She blew him a kiss. “What a man.”

“Wild, you know, I’m not doing this to piss you off,” said Bryce, opening up his door. “Just remember that.”

“I know exactly what you’re doing,” I said, annoyed. “Trying to protect me when I don’t need it.”

Another zombie, an older fellow with dark skin and a missing upper lip, staggered over toward Bryce, his arms outstretched. Before the creature could get too close, his face met with Bryce’s right foot and he toppled backwards.

“Is that such a bad thing?” he asked, holding the zombie down with the heel of his boot. He reached down and stabbed him in the forehead. “Protecting someone I care about?”

“It is when I could be helping you.”

He wiped his knife on the zombie’s shirt and then pointed toward Paige and Nora. “They need protection too, Wild. Nora’s hand is messed up, and Paige, well…”

Paige’s, head whipped around. “Excuse me? Paige is what?”

He smirked. “Not exactly trained in self-defense.”

She raised her bat. “You want to put those words to the test, karate man?”

Bryce laughed. “No. Anyway, Wild, you know what I mean.”

Before I could answer, another small group of zombies headed toward us, growling like a pack of dogs.

“Stay inside,” ordered Bryce. He slammed the door to the SUV and began moving toward the new zombies.

“Do you ever get tired of him bossing you around?” asked Nora.

I watched Bryce as he kicked and sliced the zombies effortlessly, admiring the way his muscles flexed and glistened in the rain. Even with lack of food and nutrition, he was still pretty ripped and made my insides tingle. “Sometimes, but,” I smirked, “tell you the truth; I can’t say that I don’t mind watching him fight either.”

“Amen, girl,” said Kristie, reaching back to high-five me. “They do put on a good show. The only thing missing is popcorn.”

Nora rolled her eyes as I slapped Kristie’s hand.

“He’d better watch out for that one,” said Paige, pointing to another zombie that was growling and rushing toward Bryce.

“He’ll be fine,” said Kristie.

I watched as Bryce leaped into the air and kicked the zombie in the chin, sending it skidding across the wet cement. Relentless, it got back up and tried attacking again. Before I could even blink, Bryce threw a knife, hitting the zombie in his left eye. It fell backwards, and this time stayed motionless.

Bryce turned around and our eyes met.

Smiling, I blew him a kiss and he wiggled his eyebrow before rushing after another zombie.

Nora grunted. “Wow, such a romantic group we have here.”

Nobody said anything. I certainly didn’t, because I knew that deep inside, she was still hurting and pining for Billie.

When the guys were finished killing the last of the zombies, Bryce jogged over, opened my door, and leaned inside.

“What are you doing?” I asked, staring into his eyes.

“I need some luck,” he said, tilting his head. He slid his hand behind my neck, and I smiled as his lips pressed against mine.

I opened my mouth to his, wishing we were alone, that things were different. Then, just as quickly as it began, he pulled away, ending it.

“Don’t worry, we’ll finish this later,” he whispered, his breath warm on my face.

I sighed. “I hope sooner than later.”

He kissed the corner of my mouth. “Me too.”

“You’d better get out there before they leave without you,” said Paige.

He nodded. “I know. Look, if something happens out here, or if those guys do show up, lay on the horn.”

“Okay,” I said.

“And worst case scenario, if we get separated, go to the MOA and wait for us in the parking lot by the main entrance. Between Macy’s and Bloomingdales.”

“If we get separated?” I asked.

He smirked. “Like that’s going to happen.”

He kissed me quickly again and then slammed the door.

I watched as he joined the other two and felt a sudden pang of dread in the pit of my stomach as the rain began to pour harder.

***

Bryce

Bryce followed Tiny and Justice into the cop station. Fortunately, the lobby was clear when they entered, but the familiar rank of the undead was everywhere.

“We’ve got zombies somewhere,” whispered Tiny. “Let’s check out the back rooms. Try and find where they keep the weapons.”

“Never thought I’d enter one of these places voluntarily,” said Justice in a low voice.

“I hear you, brother,” replied Tiny.

Justice stepped over a couple of gutted rats and grimaced. “Nasty.”

Bryce snorted. “You’ve been surrounded by zombies and a few dead rats bother you?”

“Well, we used to have an infestation at my cousin’s shop. Rat shit everywhere, it was disgusting. Still hate the little bastards, dead or alive.”

“Good thing they don’t come back as zombies,” said Bryce. “You’d never sleep again.”

“No shit,” he replied.

Bryce swatted at a large spider web. He hated spiders, even more than rodents. “So, what freaks you out, Tiny?”

“A plus on a pregnancy test,” he replied, as they walked through a door marked “Employees Only.”

Justice and Bryce laughed.

“Either of you ever have any trouble with the law?”

“DUI once,” said Tiny. “After my bachelor party.”

Justice’s eyes widened. “You drove after your bachelor party?”

“I know - stupid. My bride-to-be threw a fit that night and I obviously wasn’t in the right state of mind. I drove over to her place to calm her down and was nabbed.”

“That’s a bummer,” said Justice.

“Tell me about it,” he replied. “To make things worse, I caught her cheating on me with another wrestler a couple months after we were hitched.”

“Did you kick his ass?” asked Justice.

“I wanted to at the time, believe me. He certainly got his in the end, though.”

“How so?” asked Bryce.

Tiny smiled grimly. “Well, he knocked her up right after our divorce and they ended up getting married.  She ended up cheating on him, too, after the baby was born. They split and he’s had to pay child support for the last ten years. Or was paying.”

“Wow, you lucked out. At least you caught her before you had a kid together,” said Justice.

“Exactly.”

“Shit,” said Bryce, walking into a room that was clearly the station’s weapons area. “Looks like someone already beat us here.”

All of the gun safes were open and cleared out.

Tiny inspected the rest of the room. “Dammit, what a waste of time.” He sighed and scratched his head. “Well, deep down I kind of had a feeling we weren’t going to find much. Had to at least try, though.”

“Hey,” said Justice, holding up a blue shirt wrapped in plastic. “You could probably use one of these.”

Bryce grabbed the shirt, ripped it out of the package, and put it on. “It’s a little big,” he said, buttoning it. “But it will work.”

“It’s better than taunting the zombies with your man meat,” said Tiny.

Bryce shook his head and smiled. “That’s sick.”

“Hell, I’m not talking about your Johnson,” snorted Tiny. “But think about it, we’re not the highest carnivores on the food chain anymore. Man meat is in high demand, so don’t advertise what’s on the menu, unless of course, it’s your wedding night.”

Bryce grinned.

“Speaking of,” said Justice as two zombies lumbered into the room, both foaming at the mouth.

“Don’t waste bullets,” reminded Tiny, advancing on the first zombie.

Justice grabbed a nightstick that had been abandoned and went after the second one. With a swift hard jab, he shoved it into the zombie’s decayed skull and then kicked its corpse to the ground.

“Good job,” said Tiny, retrieving his knife from the other zombie’s brain.

A horn began to blare from outside of the building.

“Shit,” snapped Bryce.

The three men flew out of the room and toward the exit.

8

Allie and Kylie

The girls rode in the back of a black limousine with the priest and Billie, who stared at them with a tense look on his face. It was still dark outside and the rain was coming down in sheets.

“Have either of you ever been in a limo before?” asked the priest, clasping his hands onto his lap. Where Billie looked ready to jump out of the limo, Father Brambati appeared relaxed.

Still frightened and confused at what was happening, both girls said nothing, only shook their heads.

He smiled warmly. “Well, who would have thought that your first ride would be during such dark times? Maybe this is a sign of much better things to come.”

“Oh, mark my words, times will be better,” said Billie.

“Why?” asked Kylie, staring at him.

“They have to get better,” replied Billie, who was holding some kind of stress ball in his hand, squeezing and unsqueezing it. “Don’t you think?”

“Every time I think they’re going to get better,” muttered Allie, “worse things happen. Like getting kidnapped.”

“Come now,” said Billie, tapping his foot. “I told you that you’d be reunited with your sister very soon.”

I’ll believe it when I see it, she thought. Right now, she still didn’t trust anything he was dishing out. Plus, he looked like he was ready to freak out any minute, especially when he looked at Adria.

“How’s she doing?” asked Father Brambati, nodding toward the baby.

Kylie, who was holding her, stared down into her face. “She’s sleeping.”

“She certainly needed that bottle,” he replied. “You’ll have to thank Jenny when we get to the mall.”

Jenny was up in the front with the limo driver, a burly guy who was bald and had plates in his ears and tattoos around his neck.

“So, you’re really a priest?” asked Allie.

Father Brambati smiled again. “Yes.”

“Where are you from?”

“Israel. Well, I’ve lived there for the last fifteen years. I’m originally from California.”

Kylie’s eyes widened. “Israel? But you’re a priest. I thought most of the people there were either Jewish or Islamic.”

He nodded. “Yes, but there are also those who are practicing Christians as well.”

“Were you in Israel when the zombies first showed up?” asked Allie.

He nodded and began coughing. “Sorry,” he said, pulling out a tissue. “Yes, I was in Israel when the epidemic struck. Fortunately, I was able to fly back to the United States with a couple members of my church right before they shut down the airports.”

“Was it as bad there as it was here?” asked Kylie.

“I left before it became too bad, but yes, the zombies have infested every country in the world. There is no escaping them.”

Allie studied the priest intently, wondering why he had decided to come back to the U.S. “Why did you come back here? For family?”

Father Brambati glanced at Billie and smiled. “You could say that.”

“Are you okay, Billie?” asked Kylie.

Billie, who was obviously agitated, forced a smile. “I’m fine.”

“Would you like some water?” asked Father Brambati, now looking concerned. He leaned forward and grabbed a bottle out of the small refrigerator. “It might help.”

“We just need to get to the damn mall,” he said, eyeing Adria.

“You don’t look so good,” said Allie, noticing that he was now as white as a ghost and beginning to sweat.

“Here,” said Father Brambati, handing him a box of tissues. “You’re sweating.”

Billie blotted his forehead. “What’s taking them so damn long to get us there?”

“We should be there soon,” said the priest, glancing out the window. “I suppose with the rain, it’s making it harder to see.”

Billie turned around and knocked on the window separating them from the driver.

The window opened. “Yes?” asked the driver.

“Step on it,” ordered Billie. “Nobody’s going to give you a ticket.”

“It’s not easy maneuvering this thing with the rain. The abandoned cars and zombies aren’t making it much easier either,” replied the man, looking at him through the rearview mirror.

Billie scowled. “I don’t want to hear the excuses. Just get us there as fast as possible.”

“Yes, sir,” he replied.

Billie turned back around and loosened the collar of the white dress shirt he wore under his black suit coat.

“Are you going to be okay?” asked the priest.

“I will as soon as I get out of this tuna can,” he grumbled.

“Have you ever gotten carsick before?” asked Allie.

His eyes shifted back to Adria. “No, but something tells me it’s not the car making me ill.” He turned and rolled down the window next to his seat. Some of the rain made it into the car, but Billie ignored it. “Just need some fresh air…”

Allie and Kylie looked at each other and then to the baby, who was still sleeping contently.

A few minutes later, they arrived at the mall and the driver pulled into the parking lot, where another couple waited.

Billie got out first. “Bring them to the hole,” he ordered the strangers.

“What hole?” gasped Kylie.

Billie didn’t answer. He walked into the mall, muttering under his breath.

“Don’t worry,” said Father Brambati, smiling reassuringly. “From what I hear, your families will be arriving soon and you can all be reunited. For now, let’s go visit that amusement park you kids seem to enjoy. The one at the center of the mall.”

“It’s closed,” mumbled Allie. “I doubt there’s anything enjoyable about that place anymore.”

“It depends on who you ask,” replied the priest with a glint in his eye.

9

Cassie

The guys had entered the police station apparently without any difficulty. In fact, they walked right into the back door, which made me wonder if we were just wasting our time.

“I wonder if they’ll find any guns or ammunition,” said Paige, staring into the darkness. We’d switched places with Kristie and now both of us were sitting in the front and she was in the very back, smoking a cigarette.  She’d found one in the glove compartment and was blowing out the smoke through the broken window.

“If there are any survivors left in the city, then surely they’d be confiscating guns from the police departments,” I said, putting my head back on the driver’s seat.

She stared at her toes, which were on the dashboard and sighed. “My nail polish looks horrible. Does anyone have any polish?”

I tilted my head. “Seriously?”

“What, worried that Justice will think your chipped piggy toe is ugly?” taunted Nora.

Paige turned around and frowned. “No, I don’t care what Justice thinks. I’m just… bored.”

Kristie put her cigarette out. “Most guys don’t look at anything below your chest anyway, Paige. Ask Henry.”

I glanced over at Henry. He was still snoring softly.

Paige’s face was red. “Oh, my God. Would you guys just stop already?  I don’t care what Justice thinks.”

Her mother smirked. “Right.”

Paige glanced at me and lowered her voice. “Do you think he’s been looking at my chest?”

I burst out laughing.

“He’d better not be,” said Kristie, moving behind us. “Or I’ll slap him silly.”

Paige rolled her eyes. “God, mom… I can pretty much guarantee that he’s not checking me out. He probably sees me as a younger sister or… something.”

“Oh, I don’t know,” I said, twirling a piece of hair around my finger. “I saw him checking you out earlier today.”

Her eyes widened. “You did?”

I’d actually seen him staring at her a few times, but with everything going on, I’d forgotten to mention it. “Oh yeah. I think he likes you.”

She blushed. “Shut up!”

“Yeah, shut up,” said Kristie. “The last thing I need is to worry about Paige and Justice.”

“God, I’m eighteen years old,” said Paige. “You don’t have to worry about me.”

Kristie leaned over our shoulders. “Sorry, but I’m a mother, and the worry doesn’t stop when your kids reach eighteen.”

“I think we have a lot more things to worry about than Justice, you guys,” said Nora from the back.

I looked out the front window, but didn’t see anything. Not even a zombie.

“Behind us,” said Nora.

“Oh shit,” muttered Kristie.

I turned around and was surprised to see a policeman walking toward us, his gun raised.

“This is good,” said Paige. “Right?”

“You’d think,” I whispered.

The cop, a tall, thin man with a dark moustache, stopped behind us, on the other side of the fence. He had on a blue uniform and a hat. “What are you people doing out here?” he hollered in the rain.

“Looking for help!” yelled Kristie.

He looked around the block and then turned back to us. “You all here alone?”

“No!” said Kristie. “We have some friends who are in the station, looking for help. Can you help us?”

Before he could answer, a pair of headlights turned the corner behind him.

“Oh, shit,” muttered Nora.

It was the truck that had been following us!

It stopped several feet from the cop and our SUV, lighting up both of us with its high-beams.

Scowling, the cop turned toward the truck and motioned for the driver to turn off the headlights. Instead, whoever was inside, revved up the engine, and ignored his request.

Kristie frowned. “What in the hell?”

The police officer raised his hands in the air again, waving at the truck, but the driver continued to ignore him, clearly annoying the cop.

“Dammit,” muttered the cop. “This is ridiculous.”

Paige turned to me. “Uh, maybe you should honk the -”

Before she could finish, the driver of the white truck punched the gas. Its tires squealed as it launched toward the cop and our SUV while we all watched in stunned horror.

“No!” screamed Kristie as the truck slammed into the man, pinning him to the fence, right behind our SUV. The force of the impact made the SUV lurch away from the fence.

Henry’s eyes flew open. “What happened?!”

“Help me,” choked the cop, whose lower body was now crushed and bleeding.

“Oh, my God,” cried Kristie, crawling into the back of the SUV. “Let him go!” she screamed, waving her fist at the truck. “You piece of shit!”

Henry raised his shotgun, and aimed it out the back. “I’ll take care of this.”

She pressed his gun down. “No, Henry, you might shoot the cop instead.”

I picked up Bryce’s revolver and jumped out of the SUV. Deep down, I just knew that the person driving the truck was evil and demented. There was no doubt in my mind that he wasn’t going to stop with the cop. We were next.

“Cassie!” screamed Paige. “What are you doing?”

Ignoring her, I aimed the gun at the driver and pulled the trigger. The bullet hit the window but nothing happened.

I stared at it in shock. Not even a dent.

Paige laid on the horn as I raised the gun again.

The driver of the truck rolled down his window, and although I couldn’t see him through the tinted glass, loud music blasted out of the cab. It was a song by a band called Drowning Pool and it made the hair stand up on the back of my neck.

Let the bodies hit the floor…

Let the bodies hit the floor…

Let the bodies hit the floor…

A song that had always freaked me out.

Now, this psycho was taunting us with it.

Clenching my teeth, I aimed the gun and pulled the trigger a second time. Just like before, it did absolutely nothing to the glass.

The driver turned up the song and began to back the truck up.

“Get in the SUV!” screamed Kristie from the open window.

I ran around the fence to try and shoot the driver through the side window, but he backed up quickly and I couldn’t get a good position.

“Cassie!” hollered Henry, shuffling toward the cop’s mangled body still caught on the fence. “Get your ass in the SUV!”

The truck stopped moving about two hundred feet away and began revving its engine again.

“Hit this, you pile of shit!” yelled Nora, who was now standing next to me, flipping the truck off with both hands.

The stereo system on the truck was like nothing I’d ever heard before. The creepy song seemed to fill the streets as the driver continued to rev the engine, threatening and mocking us.

“He’s dead,” said Henry grimly, as he stepped away from the cop at the fence. “Poor feller.”

“Cassie!” hollered Bryce, running out of the police station. “Get away from there!”

The pickup’s tires started squealing again as the driver punched the gas and took off toward us.

“Shit!” yelled Nora, turning to run.

In a split-second decision, I turned and headed for the fence. I jumped and pulled myself up several feet just as the truck hit the metal underneath me. Filled with adrenaline and rage, I jumped down onto the hood and ran until I was on top of the cab. As the driver threw it into reverse, I shoved the gun over the side and into his open window and pulled the trigger, aiming blindly.

“Cassie!” yelled Bryce as the truck backed up with me still clinging to the top, my bullet apparently not hitting my desired target.

Unable to hold on anymore, I slid over the top and into the bed of the truck, landing hard. Ignoring the pain, I scrambled back up and tried shooting into the open window again. This time, the gun clicked.

Shit.

The driver slammed on the brakes once again and I flew backwards, hitting my head on the back corner of steel tailgate protector.

From there, everything went black…

10

Allie and Kylie

As the girls were ushered into the mall, they were horrified to find that it was now infested with hordes of zombies.

“Oh, my God, they’re going to eat us!” cried Allie as she turned to run back out of the entrance.

“No, no, no. They will leave you alone,” promised Father Brambati, grabbing her arm. “Just ignore them.”

She stared up at him in surprise. “Why would they do that?”

“Just trust me,” he said, smiling warmly. “Their interests have been… diverted. You have nothing to worry about, young lady.”

“Diverted? I don’t understand,” replied Allie.

“You don’t have to,” said the priest. “Just ignore them and they’ll ignore you.”

Seeing the gruesome zombies staggering throughout the hallway, Adria began to cry.

“I don’t care what you say… we’ve got to get out of here,” said Kylie, bouncing the baby on her hip to try and calm her. “This is totally insane.”

“Girls, seriously, you have nothing to worry about,” repeated the priest. “I’ve walked past them twice already today without any problems. They mean no harm to you.”

“Right,” said Allie, her stomach clenching in fear as a zombie stumbled toward them. At the last minute, the creature turned away, its attention distracted by something else. Something evidently, only it could see.

“Not only that, but it smells horrible in here,” said Kylie, her lips curling in disgust. She looked down at Adria, who’d grabbed a lock of her hair like she was clinging to dear life. “Even worse than a dumpster full of old smelly diapers. No offense, Adria.”

“The zombies are dead and decaying,” said the priest. “They can’t help how they smell.”

“You sound like you actually feel sorry for them,” said Allie.

He stood up straighter. “Of course I do, I’m a man of God. Think about it, they were just like us a couple of months ago. Now they’re just empty shells.”

“Full of hunger,” said Allie, stepping out of the way as another zombie dragged its upper torso along the floor next to her. It paused for a second, stared up at her, and then continued on its way. Allie shuddered.

“You’re right,” said Kylie, wrinkling her nose as the legless zombie left a slimy trail across the marbled floor. “They were. Once. But now they look at us like we’re nothing but food, and I don’t feel any sympathy for them. Not even the legless ones. Not anymore.”

He nodded. “I understand. You’ve been through a lot and have every right to feel these things. But I assure you, they will leave you alone because you’re with me. Now, come along.”

Both girls hesitated.

“Girls, if you can’t trust me, who can you trust?” asked the priest, his eyes wide.

“What else can we do?” asked Allie.

“Not much, I guess,” she replied.

Sighing, they began to walk with Father Brambati again, followed by the other two strangers, who remained aloof. As they were led down the corridor, they noticed that many of the shops had been looted or just destroyed. Merchandise was strewn everywhere, mannequins tipped over, and broken glass littered the carpeting.

“Not quite what you remember, hmm?” asked the priest, nodding toward a coffee shop that had been trashed. Coffee beans, shattered glass, and dried blood were all that remained of what had been one of the most popular stores in the mall.

“No,” replied Allie, feeling sick to her stomach. Not at all. For years she’d taken special trips to the megamall with her grandparents, especially during the holidays. Now, gone were the days of holiday lights, Christmas trees, and colorful decorations. Sadly, there would never be another overcrowded line of children waiting to see Santa or people caroling in the background. The magic was gone, and in its place was nothing but ruin, destruction, and the filthy undead loitering in the hallways.

She looked at Adria and felt sorry for the little baby who would never get to experience the same types of joys she did growing up. She reached over and touched her soft head. “If we ever get out of this mess, I’m going to make sure that you learn about Santa Claus, though. And Christmas trees.”

“And presents,” said Kylie.

“Yes,” said Allie.

Most of the zombies shuffled by, not paying them any attention while they continued walking. Others, however, stared at them in confusion, as if they didn’t know quite what to make of them.

“Where are we going?” asked Allie, watching the zombies closely.

“You’ll see,” replied Father Brambati. “We’re almost there.”

“Billie said that he was taking us back to our families,” said Kylie.

“I’m sure he’s arranged to have them pick you up here,” said the priest.

“I think I’d prefer waiting outside,” muttered Allie as she stepped over a dismembered hand.

The priest laughed. “Come on now, we’re almost there. Hey, I’ll bet you’re excited to see the theme park?”

“Are you kidding?” replied Allie. “This place is dead, just like the freaks walking by us. I’m not excited about anything but getting the heck out of here. Oh gross.”

A zombie with one eye hanging from her cheek by tendrils stared at Allie as they walked by.

“And the nightmares just keep getting worse,” she whispered, trying not to gag.

“Think of Adria,” mumbled Kylie. “And the nightmares she’s going to have.”

Allie stared down at the baby. “If we get out of this, she’s definitely going to need some kind of therapy.”

“We all will,” said Kylie as they rounded the corner.

“We’re almost there,” said Father Brambati, smiling eerily. “I can’t wait for you to see it.”

When they made it to the outside of the park, both girls froze, unable to comprehend exactly what their eyes were seeing.

“Oh, my God, what is that?” gasped Kylie.

“It’s some kind of hole,” replied Allie in shock.

Kylie took a step back. “Yeah, but how in the heck did it get here?”

In the center of the building, next to the rollercoaster, where there used to be concrete and ceramic tile, was a giant black hole. It was about one hundred feet wide, perfectly circular, and it almost appeared to be… pulsating.

“It looks like it’s alive,” whispered Allie in horror.

“It’s about time you showed up. Come closer and have a better look!” hollered Billie, who stood next to the hole with Jenny.

The girls remained frozen.

“Come on,” said Father Brambati. “It’s magnificent, don’t you think?”

“This is not right,” whispered Allie. “How in the world did that hole get inside of the mall? And who in the heck made it?”

Kylie’s heart was beating frantically, and in the back of her mind, she began to wonder if Billie was actually an alien. “I don’t know. I… I’m really scared.”

Allie stepped closer to her friend. “Ky,” she whispered. “I think we should try and make a run for it.”

“Me too. Uh, do you feel that?” asked Kylie, noticing the vibrations under her feet.

“Yes,” squeaked Allie. “What’s happening?”

“Hey, girls! Come on,” said Billie, smiling broadly. “You really have to check this thing out. I guarantee you’ve never seen anything like it!”

The couple shoved them forward.

“Stop, don’t touch me!” snapped Kylie, glaring back at the man. “Don’t you know how dangerous a hole like that is? Especially for someone holding a baby.”

“Oh, you’ll be fine,” said Billie, walking toward them. “Here, I’ll even escort you over.”

“Uh, no,” replied Allie, shaking her head vehemently. “I think we’ll pass on this, if you don’t mind. Anyway, aren’t you supposed to be taking us back to my sister?”

Billie looked down at his watch. “Actually, her ride should be dropping her off fairly soon. Father, why don’t you watch for them?”

“It would be my pleasure, General,” he replied, turning away.

“General?” asked Kylie, turning to Billie.

He smiled but didn’t answer.

“Wait, we should go with him,” said Allie as the priest walked away.

“No, that won’t be necessary,” he replied.

“But, we just want to get out of this place,” said Allie, her eyes moving back to the ominous hole.

He smiled darkly. “Don’t worry - you’ll all be leaving soon.”

11

Cassie

“Ah… there you are…the girls have been waiting for you,” said Billie, his arms around Allie and Kylie’s shoulders as they stood at the entrance of the Mall Of America.

I ran toward them. “Thank God, I was so worried about you guys!”

“I knew you’d come,” said Allie, smiling as I pulled her into my arms and hugged her.

“Is everyone okay?” I asked, glancing toward Billie, who was watching us.

“Of course,” he replied.

“He’s lying,” she whispered into my ear.

I looked down into her face. “What?”

“Cassie, it looks like you made it just in time,” said Billie.

“Good,” I said, my eyes still on Allie, who looked petrified. “Hey…what’s wrong?”

“We need to go,” she said under her breath.

“Nonsense,” said Billie. “You need to stay. You don’t want to miss the show!”

Before I could ask him what he meant, the ground began to shake under our feet. “What’s happening?” I gasped, grabbing both Kylie’s and Allie’s hands.

“Ah… it’s time!” shouted Billie, a triumphant grin on his face.

“Time… time for what?” I asked, staring at the cement, which was beginning to crack.

“We need to go!” cried Allie, pulling me away from the building.

“Cassie!” screamed Kylie, as the ground opened up in the parking lot we were heading toward, with a deafening roar.

We watched frozen in terror as the granite, soil, and bedrock crumbled, forming a massive sinkhole. It widened, growing until it created a perfect circle. When it stopped, there was an eerie silence.

“What’s happening?” I whispered in horror, looking down into the sheer blackness. “What in the hell is that?”

“Shh … listen,” said Billie, stepping next to me. He leaned over the edge. “Can you hear it?”

Adria!

I could hear her crying from somewhere deep inside of the hole.

“Adria!” I yelled, getting down to my knees.

Her sobs grew, tearing at my heart.

“Adria!”

I had to try and save her!

Determined to find a way, I stood up and turned to Billie. “You have to help me get her out of there! Tell me how to do it!”

He sneered. “It’s too late for that little brat. Besides, I’m the reason she’s in the hole. Why would I try and get her out?”

I poked him in the chest. “What did you do to her, Billie? She’s just a baby!”

His eyes began to glow a bright red. Smiling evilly, he grabbed my arms, his nails digging into my skin.

“Stop it, Billie!” hollered Allie, trying to grab his arm.

He shoved her away and she fell to the ground, crying.

Kylie rushed to her side. “This isn’t real, Allie. He can’t hurt your sister.”

I stared at Kylie. “What?”

He began to whisper. “Let the bodies hit the floor. Let the bodies hit the floor… Let the bodies hit the floor.

Horrified, I tried pushing him away, but he was too strong. He pulled me to the edge of the hole.

“Please, no!” I begged.

He leaned forward and I could smell his breath - it stank of sulfur and rotten eggs. “I offer you to my lord and master. Yes indeed, you’re going to make a lovely sacrifice, my lovely virgin.”

“I’m not a virgin!” I growled at him.

His smile widened. “Even better!”

“Let me go!” I hollered.

“Okay.” He shoved me over the edge and I began to fall into the abyss.

***

I’m not sure if it was the rain that woke me, or getting knocked around in the back of the pickup. Regardless, I almost peed my pants when I realized exactly where I was.

Frightened, I sat up and stared at the road behind us as my captor raced down the highway in his pickup. Unfortunately, we were going so fast, that I knew any attempt at escape would be painful and more than likely, lethal.

Soaked and shaking from the chill in the air, I wiped some of the rainwater from my face and tried desperately to think of a way out of the mess I’d gotten myself into. The only thing I could come up with, however, was to jump out the back when we slowed down and just run like hell. Hopefully, it would work out and the freak in the truck wouldn’t get another chance to run me down.

I turned and faced the cab, still unable to calculate how many people were inside. The windows were so black, that I couldn’t see any shapes or silhouettes. It seemed to make everything even more… creepier.

I shivered again and felt my teeth begin to chatter, I was so dang cold. As I pulled my legs in tighter to try and get warmer, my mountain boot hit the gun.

Sighing in relief, I grabbed the revolver but then remembered that I’d run out of ammunition. I decided to keep the gun anyway, just in case I lucked out and found more bullets. I stuffed it into the back of my shorts and stared back at the road behind us, wondering where in the hell the assholes were taking me. I needed to get to the mall…

It was then that I remembered bits and pieces of my dream. Even though I knew it hadn’t been real, it had been pretty scary, and for the first time in a long while, I appreciated my current situation. I could stand up to zombies and crazy people, but holes and demons?

I’d never have a chance against something like that.

None of us would.

***

Bryce

“Where in the hell did that bastard go?!” hollered Bryce, slamming his fist onto the steering wheel. “He couldn’t have just vanished into thin air!”

“Calm down,” said Tiny, who sat next to him. “We’ll find them, man.”

He rubbed his forehead. “We saw the truck turn that last corner and then he just what – teleported out of here? This is ridiculous.”

“You guys, I swear… I just can’t take much more of this,” muttered Kristie. “We just keep running into more trouble and I feel so damn helpless.”

Paige squeezed her mom’s hand. “I know, mom. We all do.”

“Well, what should we do now?” asked Bryce, feeling beaten. “They’ve obviously lost us. Hell, they could be anywhere in the city.”

“Don’t give up, Bryce. He might be parked around here with his lights off,” said Nora.

Bryce rubbed his forehead. “Why the hell does she have to be so damn reckless all the time? She should have stayed in the vehicle, where it was safe.”

“Could have, should have, but as usual - didn’t,” said Paige. “That’s the way she is and you should know that by now.”

“I guess I should. Obviously, everything I tell her goes in one ear and out the other. I never know what the hell she’s going to do next.”

Nora chuckled. “When she climbed onto the fence and then jumped onto that dude’s truck, I couldn’t freaken believe it, man. Seriously, I’m not even that crazy. I think it stunned the hell out of the people in the truck though.”

“Did anyone get a good look at who was in the vehicle?” asked Tiny.

“No,” replied Nora. “I tried, but the windows were too dark.”

“So, what now?” asked Bryce, staring off into the darkness. “To tell you the truth, I don’t know if I can leave this part of town without trying to locate her. I know it’s not fair to you guys, though. Maybe I should find another vehicle so you can head out to the mall.”

Henry took off his hat and smoothed his hair down. “Looky here, Bryce, Cassie will be just fine. Whoever left with her has no idea what kind of a fighter that little lady is. Hell, she’ll probably kill the bastard and still find the girls before we even reach the damn mall.”

Bryce smiled grimly. “I don’t know, Henry. She’s been so lucky up until now. I’m just afraid…”

“Don’t think like that,” interrupted Tiny. “Now, this is Cassie we’re talking about. If anyone has a fighting chance, it’s her. Don’t start talking like that and don’t give up hope.”

“I don’t want to,” he said. “I really don’t.”

“Well, we’ve got to get moving,” said Henry. “Wasting time talking about this isn’t helping.”

“Personally, I think we should look for the kids first,” said Tiny. “I hate to say it, but they need our help more than anything right now. If they’re at the mall, then we need to get our asses there before it’s too late.”

“What’s too late?” squeaked Kristie.

He turned around and squeezed her knee. “Just saying, babe. I’m sure they’re fine, but we need to get out there. Time’s wasting.”

Bryce sighed and drove toward the freeway. “Yeah, I know we do, and for some reason, I’m starting to get this feeling that whoever has Cassie isn’t even in this area.”

“She knows where we’re heading,” said Henry. “So, once she gets away, and I believe she will, you’ll see her again.”

He wished he felt as confident as everyone else, but in his gut, he knew that Cassie was in mortal danger, and the thought of never seeing her again was killing him.

12

Cassie

The rain died down, but I was still chilled to the bone. I figured that if I wasn’t killed by the people in the truck, I’d probably die of pneumonia if I didn’t get out of my wet clothes and into something dry soon. I decided that the first thing I’d do if I escaped, was to break into a vehicle and search for clothing or a blanket. For now, however, I had to bear the cold and as usual, hope that I’d survive whatever lay ahead of me. It was obvious that I’d made another dumb decision without thinking it through, and now I’d be paying for it somehow.

At least my friends were safe.

But Bryce, he had to be just furious with me again. If I didn’t watch myself, he’d change his mind on marrying me. That thought made my heart ache. I wasn’t sure if I could handle it if he dumped me. I wouldn’t necessarily blame him if he did, but I’d rather die than lose him; which was why I had to survive, get back to him, and prove that I could stay out of trouble. Or at least try a little harder.

I stared down at my ring and felt tears burning in the back of my eyes. I didn’t want to die, not without getting married to the big lug. Heck, we still needed time to get to know each other. I knew which foot he preferred to kick with and that he had a helluva right hook, but I had no idea what his favorite color was, how he liked his eggs, or what his favorite food even was.

My God, did he even like pickles?

I closed my eyes and tried to picture his face. Thankfully, it came easily and not surprisingly, he was scowling at me.

I smiled.

Damn, I loved his scowl. I loved everything about my karate man. But then my thoughts drifted from him to my sister and my smile fell.

Allie, God, she must be terrified.

I hoped that Billie snapped out of whatever was happening to him and brought her back to my grandparents’ house. That’s what I hoped, but something inside told me that wasn’t going to happen. That something much more sinister was going on. Something also told me that I was going to be there when it went down. I hoped that I was wrong. I prayed that she and Kylie were safe and would stay that way.

When the pickup veered off of the highway near MOA’s exit, I couldn’t believe it. Here I’d been kidnapped, but taken to the one place I really wanted to be. If I hadn’t felt so much hate for the bastard driving the truck, I’d have offered him gas money.

As the truck slowed down to make a turn a couple of blocks from the mall, I jumped out of the back and began running through the rain. With every puddle splash, I expected to hear a squeal of tires and the roar of an engine, but, amazingly, the truck ignored me and sped away. It was odd, but then the guy was a nutcase and I knew not to really expect anything rational from someone that crazy. But, the fact that he’d driven me to Bloomington was a little unnerving.

Pushing away thoughts of the crazy pickup driver, I continued toward the mall, slowing to a jog and then finally, my tired and undernourished body could do nothing but walk. Thirsty and famished, I stared at the restaurants near the mall and my stomach groaned. I hadn’t eaten anything for quite a while, and memories of cheeseburgers, heavy on the pickles, and strawberry malts made me want to cry. Feeling frustrated and sad, I turned my eyes away from the painful reminders of what had once been and noticed that there were zombies hovering around, some in the shadows, but most of them by the mall.

It’s your fault that I can’t have ice cream anymore, I thought angrily as I watched a couple of zombies loitering near the entrance of a steak joint that my dad had loved. And your fault he’s gone.

I glared at the zombies but kept walking, a little surprised that they hadn’t yet come for me.

As I approached the street by the mall, I noticed that many of the creatures were doing their normal thing of shuffling around without reason, lost in their own little worlds, but some of them seemed to be actually watching me with a keenness that was creepy. Remembering that I was basically weaponless, I slowed down, not wanting to get too close to them; if more than two came at me at once, I’d be screwed.

I really needed a weapon.

Making a quick decision, I turned around and headed toward the steak joint and the two zombies still hanging around by the entrance. As I approached, they stared at me hungrily, but made no attempt to attack me. Still, not trusting them, I kicked the nearest one in the face, sending it flying backwards, and then turned to the other zombie, a woman with knotted red hair and oozing sores all over her face.

She stared at me, swaying.

I stared back, scowling and ready to strike.

The door to the restaurant swung open and someone grabbed my arm, jerking me inside before I had time to react.

“What in the hell are you doing?” asked a big burly guy with a black beard and a patch over his left eye. He locked the door and turned to me. “Do you want to be a victim?”

“Uh, no,” I replied, shocked.

“Well, you could have fooled me,” he said, sizing me up. “Kids, they just don’t pay enough attention.”

“I’m eighteen,” I protested.

He rolled his eye. “Oh, well then you have no excuse.”

Sighing, I turned to look at the small group of people sitting next to the bar. There were two women, I figured somewhere in their thirties, a middle-aged dark-skinned man, and a boy who appeared to be in his early teens. “Wow, I didn’t know anyone was alive around here.”

The tall man with the beard headed back toward the bar. “If that’s what you want to call it.”

“What’s your name, honey?” asked one of the women. She had medium-length blond hair and green haunted eyes.

“I’m Cassie.”

“I’m Carolyn,” she said. “That’s Lisa, and Mac, and Rob’s son, Daniel.”

“I’m Rob,” said the bearded man, now leaning over the bar, which was lit up by candles.

“Hi,” I answered.

“Where’d you come from?” he asked in a softer tone.

“It’s kind of a long story,” I replied, shivering.

“You cold?” asked Mac, the dark-skinned man.

“Uh, yeah. You guys wouldn’t have a blanket or some extra clothing, would you? I’m freezing.”

“I’ll get you one of the uniforms from the back,” said Lisa, standing up. “It’s better than nothing.”

“Thanks,” I replied, walking toward the bar.

Rob grabbed a shot glass and filled it with something brown. “Here, drink this. It will warm you up.”

I picked up the shot glass. “What is it?”

“Rum.”

I’d never had rum.

I took a sip and shuddered. “Oh, my God…”

Rob chuckled. “Just drink it quickly. You’ll be glad you did.”

I took a deep breath and then slammed the shot. As the liquid entered my stomach, I began to feel warm and fuzzy all over. I smiled. “Oh, that’s nice.”

“So, what are you doing out here?” asked Mac, who was playing solitaire at the end of the bar. “This time of the morning with all the dead walking around.”

Feeling unnaturally chatty, I began to talk, telling them my story, all the way from when I’d been kidnapped by Austin to how I’d escaped the pickup. Fifteen minutes later, they all stared at me like I was crazy.

“I think you gave her too much rum,” chuckled Mac, rubbing his chin.

“No, it really happened,” I said, staring at the bottle of rum. “Seriously, it did. Hey, um, how about one more shot, I’m getting cold again.”

“How about - no,” he replied with a smile. “Why don’t you change your clothes now that Lisa found a uniform for you? After you’re finished, I have a few questions for you.”

I nodded. “Okay. I have some questions for you guys, too.”

“I’m sure you do,” he replied, grinning.

Lisa handed me a flashlight and the clothes before I went into the ladies room. When I stepped inside, I set the flashlight on the counter and then changed into the uniform, which consisted of a black pair of cotton shorts and a white short-sleeved shirt with the restaurant’s logo on it. I removed my boots, wrung out my socks, which were soaked, and slipped them back on. After that, I washed my face and then stepped out of the bathroom carrying the empty gun.

“You hungry?” asked Carolyn as I walked back over to the bar.

“Uh, yeah,” I replied, staring at a fresh bag of sour cream and onion potato chips on the counter. “Very.”

She handed me the bag. “Try to save us some.”

I put my gun down on the counter and tore open the bag. “Oh, definitely. I will. Thanks.”

“So, you really think that some demon has your sister and they’re holding up inside of the mall?” asked Mac, his expression unreadable.

I shrugged. “I really don’t know. I mean, demons… right? Sounds too crazy to be real.”

“So did zombies at one time,” mumbled Daniel.

“Yeah, right? Well, I’m hoping that they’re heading back to Atlanta or my grandparents’ house,” I replied and then stuffed two chips into my mouth. I groaned. “God, these are good. Thank you.”

“No problem,” said Carolyn. “So, tell me - do you plan on just walking right up to the mall, past the hordes of zombies, and into the front door?”

“Well, that’s why I wanted to stop in here. See if you guys have anything I can use as a weapon? I could also use some bullets,” I replied, nodding toward the gun.

“I’m sorry,” said Rob. “I can’t afford to give up any of our ammunition.”

Mac stood up and stretched his arms in the air. “Especially for a suicide mission like that. Do you have any idea of how many zombies are wandering around this area?”

“Yeah, but I really have no choice. I have to see if my sister and the other girls are in the mall, being held against their will. In fact,” I stood up, “I’d better not waste any more time. Thanks for your help and the uniform.”

“Seriously, you’re really going there alone? By yourself?” said Daniel. “Are you nuts?”

“Probably, but it’s helped me survive up to this point.”

“Girl,” said Mac. “You go out there and try to get past those things, you’re never gonna see your sister again.”

“I’ve been through worse, believe me,” I said.

They all looked at each other and I wondered if they still didn’t quite believe my story. “Um, do you have a machete or a butcher knife somewhere in the kitchen?”

“Nope, no machete. You can probably use one of Daniel’s Tomahawk axes,” said Rob.

Daniel’s jaw dropped. “Excuse me?”

Rob leaned forward. “You have two, and obviously Cassie needs some kind of weapon. I’m not letting her go empty-handed. I’d never forgive myself.”

“Not if you just talk her out of going out there. It’s suicide. You said so yourself,” he said.

“Exactly,” said Lisa. “You shouldn’t go over there, honey. You’ll never make it to the front door.”

“Well, it’s a chance I’m willing to take,” I replied evenly. “Besides, my friends should be arriving shortly.” I turned back to Daniel. “Please, can I use the ax?”

He stood up, walked around the bar, and kneeled down. A few seconds later, he stood back up holding a black ax with a shiny stainless steel head. “Here, this is the smaller one of the two.”

“Thanks,” I said, examining both sides of the blade on the head. This could do a lot of damage.  “So, um, you guys are just going to hang out here?”

“Yep. Until the government steps in and gets rid of the rest of the zombies,” said Rob. “We’ve got a grocery store up the street, a cellar full of beer, and a drug store across the street. Haven’t had many looters around here, now with the influx of zombies, so we’ve been lucky.”

“Don’t hold your breath for the government to step in,” I said. “I’ve been to the C.D.C. and back, and haven’t seen any military forces taking down zombies.”

“Well, I’m sure they’ve got their hands full,” said Rob. “Until then, we’ve decided to stick together and hang out here. You’re welcome to join us.”

I smiled. “Well, thanks but after I find my sister and friends, we’re heading back to Atlanta.”

“Suit yourself,” he replied. “But don’t say I didn’t offer.”

“I’d never say that.” I walked toward the doorway. “Well, here goes nothing.”

“Sun up yet?” asked Carolyn as I peeked outside.

“Nope,” I said. “Strange, huh?”

“Very,” she said. “It’s almost eight in the morning.” She laughed nervously. “God, with the zombies, the crazy weather, and now this unexplained darkness, you’d think the world was coming to an end or something.”

Before I could give her a witty answer, the ground began to vibrate.

13

Bryce and Company

They drove in silence on the ride to the mall. The roads were dark and lifeless, which made everything seem that much more ominous.

When they reached the exit leading toward Bloomington, Henry cleared his throat. “What time is it?”

“Almost six,” said Bryce, glancing at the dashboard.

“In the morning?” he asked, surprised.

“Yep,” replied Bryce.

Henry stared into the darkness. “Well, where’s the damn sun? Has the planet stop spinning now, or what?”

“If that happened, I’m sure we wouldn’t be having this conversation,” said Bryce. “We’d probably be dead.”

Henry frowned. “Well, how do you explain the darkness? The sun should be well up by now.”

“Maybe the Earth has just slowed down?” volunteered Paige.

“Maybe,” said Bryce. “But I don’t think it would be that dramatic. Not in one day.”

“Okay then, perhaps, Billie was right,” said Paige. “And it’s really the End of Days.”

Bryce groaned. “I’m going with - the clock is messed up, or worst case scenario - the Earth actually has slowed down.”

“What do you think, Justice?” asked Paige, turning to him.

He smiled grimly. “Believe me, you don’t want to know what I think.”

She raised her eyebrows. “Okay, now you have to spill it. What do you really think?”

Justice stared outside. “I know this sounds crazy, but when Travis had control of my mind….”

“Oh, come on now,” scoffed Henry. “That feller couldn’t have really had control of your mind. You were probably hit in the head and just not in your right mind.”

“I thought you believed him before,” said Paige.

“I did, I do… oh, it’s just so hard,” said Henry. “I’m struggling with it I guess.”

“Henry,” said Justice. “Seriously, I wish that would have been the case, but I haven’t been injured. Not physically, anyway. As far as Travis goes, well, we definitely had some kind of psychic connection, and I hate to say this, because you’ll really think I’m nuts… hell I feel like I’m going nuts, but Travis knew about the darkness. He also knew about the hole…”

“What hole?” asked Paige

He shrugged. “I really don’t know exactly. He was obsessed with it, though. Just like he was obsessed with finding ‘The Chosen One.’”

“Adria,” said Kristie.

“Yup,” said Justice.

“I still think Travis has taken over Billie’s mind,” stated Paige.

Nora, who’d fallen asleep next to Kristie in the third row, opened one eye. “Seriously, you’re still on that trip?”

“Hey, even Cassie believed it,” protested Paige.

“Back to this hole,” said Bryce. “What kind of a hole do you think it is? Maybe a well or something?”

Justice scratched the back of his shoulder. “I have a feeling it’s something much bigger than a well. Something massive.”

“In the ground?” asked Paige.

“Where else would it be?” asked Nora.

“I don’t know… maybe he was waiting for some kind of portal,” she replied.

“Okay, this conversation is getting crazier by the minute,” muttered Bryce. “I’m sorry I asked about the hole.”

Tiny, who’d fallen asleep next to Bryce, had also woken up. He cleared his throat. “What was that about a hole?”

“Believe me,” muttered Bryce. “You’re better off not knowing.”

“We were talking about portals,” said Paige.

“Yeah, Paige thinks that Travis was waiting for some portal to open up,” said Kristie, chuckling.

“Hmm…” replied Tiny, looking thoughtful. “Well… hmm...”

“Exactly,” said Nora.

“Actually,” said Justice. “I think Paige might be right.”

Paige smiled. “Thank you.”

“Come on now, you honestly think Travis was waiting for some kind of portal to open up?” asked Bryce as he turned off of the highway.

“Well, I think that in his mind, he believed that there could be a portal,” replied Justice. “Not saying that there actually is a portal, but it’s what he believed.”

“Well, if there’s a damn portal,” said Henry, as they approached the mall, “I hope we can send some of these walking dead through it. So we can all have our lives back.” His eyes widened as the mall came into view. “Well, would you look at that - they’ve turned the lights back on at the mall.”

“See, something is definitely going on,” said Paige.

“Hey, that might mean there are some other survivors inside,” said Tiny. “That’s good news.”

“Travis had some followers,” said Justice. “If they’re inside, it’s definitely not good news.”

“Wow,” said Kristie, staring at all of the zombies surrounding the mall. “Bryce, I think you’d better find a different entrance. There must hundreds of zombies around here. Oh, God, there’s more heading this way from up the street.”

Paige turned to stare at the zombies heading in their direction. “This is crazy. Why are they coming together like this?”

“Maybe the lights are attracting them,” said Bryce.

“Bryce, head into the parking ramp,” said Tiny, pointing. “We’ll find a way in on one of the levels.”

“Yeah, but what about the zombies near the entrance to the ramp?” said Kristie.

“They’ll move or we’ll just have to move them,” replied Tiny.

Noticing that there was a clearing now by the ramp, Bryce tightened his grip on the steering wheel. “Okay, hold on, guys.”

Tiny braced his hand against the dashboard as Bryce turned the corner and headed for the ramp entrance. Before he made it, however, two zombies staggered into the path, getting in the way of the SUV.

Swearing, he slammed on the brakes, barely missing the creatures.

“Thanks,” said Paige, smiling up at Justice, who’d reached out his arm to shield her from smacking her face onto the seat in front.

He smiled back.

“Come on,” growled Bryce, tapping his thumbs on the steering wheel as the zombies remained impassive.

Henry grunted. “Oh hell, haven’t you learned by now? They aint gonna move out of your path when you need them to, so run their asses over and let’s get to where we need to be.”

“That one’s too big,” replied Bryce, pointing to the tall lumbering zombie, staring off into space. “It would be like hitting a deer and we don’t want to take any chances.”

Henry scowled. “We’re in a Yukon. You might get some guts on the grill, but the rain will wash it off.”

“Hey, it’s not raining anymore,” said Kristie.

“Here comes more. Shit,” said Tiny, as three more zombies wandered into their path.

“Is it me, or have you guys noticed that they don’t seem to be paying us much attention?” said Kristie.

“They’re not as agitated as they were before, either,” said Tiny. “Hey, get ready. I think once those two walk by, you’ll have a clear path.”

“Jesus, you’d think we were at the fair or something,” complained Henry. “Just put the pedal to the metal and let’s go find them girls.”

Bryce stomped his foot on the gas, clearing the entrance before anyone else had a chance to get in the way. As they drove up the first level, he asked, “Where should we park?”

“Close to the exit so we can make a quick getaway,” said Kristie.

Bryce parked and they all grabbed their weapons.

“Listen,” said Tiny. “We need to stick together but obviously, that’s not always plausible. If we get separated, we’ll meet back here. I’ll leave the doors open.”

“And Paige, you need to stick with me,” said Kristie. “If something does happen, I need to know you’ll be right behind me if we have to take off.”

“Of course,” she said.

“Gramps, you going to be able to handle the walk?” asked Tiny. “With your back?”

“Got no choice,” said Henry. “You need my help and wisdom in there, if things go bad.”

“I don’t want you to be miserable,” replied Tiny. “We can do this alone.”

Henry scowled. “I’ll be fine. Let’s just get moving before the zombies hear us talking and start heading up the parking ramp.”

“Okay,” said Tiny. “I’m just concerned about you.”

“I appreciate that, but we have three little girls to rescue, and if they are inside, you’re going to need my shooting skills.”

“Agreed,” replied Tiny.

They got out of the SUV and began walking toward the stairwell. Before they reached the doorway, the cement under their feet began to vibrate.

“What is this, now, some kind of earthquake?” asked Kristie.

“I don’t know. It doesn’t feel like one,” said Tiny, looking at the ground. “This is weird.”

“It’s the hole,” said Justice, his face turning pale.

They all stared at him in shock.

“How do you know?” asked Kristie.

“I don’t know. I just do,” he replied. “We’ve got to find those girls. Quickly.”

14

Allie and Kylie

After Father Brambati left to go watch for Cassie, the vibration under their feet increased.

Billie grinned. “Excellent. It’s getting bigger.” He raised his fist in front of his face and clenched it. “Yes… the time grows near!”

“Time for what?” asked Kylie.

He lowered his hand. “For victory.”

Allie’s eyebrows shot up. “Victory? Against the zombies?”

“Against fate.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” asked Allie. “I don’t get it.”

He shrugged. “Obviously not. Which is probably for the best.”

The girls looked at each other, both confused.

“Don’t think too hard about it,” he said with a mocking grin. “You might hurt something.”

Allie frowned. “Ha… ha... Seriously, though, what exactly is that hole for?”

He bent down and stared into the dark pit with a gleam in his eyes. “It’s a gateway to another world.”

Kylie’s eyes grew large. “What? Are you serious?”

“Of course.”

“Like, as in another planet?” asked Allie, thinking that it made sense. Who knows, they may have even been responsible for the zombies, she thought. The whole ‘End of Days’, prophecy, had seemed pretty out there.

He tilted his head back and forth.  “Eh… more like another dimension.”

“Whoa,” whispered Allie, turning toward the hole. She wondered if there really were aliens living in that other dimension, and if they were friend or foe. “That’s so freaky.”

“How do you know all of this?” asked Kylie, eyeing him suspiciously. From his irrational actions the past twenty-four hours, she didn’t trust anything he had to say.

“Because it’s where I came from.”

“No way! What’s it like?” asked Allie, now more intrigued than scared.

“It’s a place for those who have been condemned to eternal darkness.”

Allie and Kylie’s eyes met again. If he’d been condemned, then Billie must have done something to really anger whoever put him there.

“Kind of like how General Zod was encased in the Phantom Zone on Superman?” asked Kylie.

“Oh yeah… and Father Brambati did call you ‘General’,” stated Allie. She looked at him curiously. “So, um… were you banished from some planet several thousand light years away and now your friends are joining you?”

He smirked. “Something like that.”

“Is Father Brambati from your world, too?” asked Kylie

“No, he’s a mortal,” said Billie. “But he’s helping us.”

“And who exactly is us?” asked Allie.

Before he could answer, there was a loud rumble from somewhere down below.

“Crap, what is that?” squeaked Kylie.

“Get back,” said Allie, pulling Kylie and Adria with her. “It’s getting bigger.”

“Only about another hundred feet,” said Billie. “We’ll be fine.”

The earth around the hole began to crumble and fall and they all moved quickly out of the way. When it stopped growing and the earth settled, an eerie silence surrounded the group. Even Adria was exceptionally quiet.

“Oh God, what’s going to happen next?” whispered Kylie after a few seconds.

“I don’t know, but I’m scared,” replied Allie under her breath.

“Me too.”

“Don’t be frightened,” said Billie, walking back toward the hole. He looked down and grinned. “Well, what do you know?”

Jenny and the couple hurried back to the pit. The other woman leaned down and her eyes widened. “What are all of those moving lights?”

“They look like eyes,” said the man

Billie smiled. “That’s because they are, John.”

All three of them gasped and backed away from the pit.

“Don’t be afraid,” said Billie. “They’re not coming for you.”

“Let’s go,” whispered Kylie, turning to leave as a large shadow flew out of the pit.

“Oh, my God,” gasped Allie, staring in horror at the giant bat-like creature. It soared to the other side of the park and then turned to head back toward them. “What is that?”

“Come on!” cried Kylie, frightened as another creature launched out of the hole.

“Marvelous!” yelled Billie, his eyes gleaming a yellowish-red color. “It has begun. We need to ready the child!”

Panicked, Kylie held Adria against her chest and began to run. She zigzagged around a couple of zombies and turned down the nearest corridor with Allie following suit. Before they could make it to the end of the hallway, however, one of the bat-like creatures flew by, making an unearthly ear-piercing screeching sound. It circled back around and then headed back toward them.

“Ohmygod!” screamed Kylie, staring at the creature’s blood-red eyes and razor-sharp teeth. She ducked as the flying monster swooped down, barely missing her.

“This way!” cried Allie, running past her toward a large jewelry store.

Frightened, Kylie followed her inside. Trying to avoid all of the broken glass, they rushed to the very back and hid behind an empty glass jewelry case that was still intact.

“Is it gone?” whispered Kylie after both of them caught their breath.

Allie got to her knees and then peered over the edge of the glass case. “Uh… I don’t see anything.” She shuddered. “What was that thing?”

“I have no idea.” Kylie put her cheek against Adria’s, who looked like she was ready to cry. “Don’t cry, honey. Please don’t cry. I’ve got you and we won’t let them hurt you.”

Adria’s lip trembled, but she didn’t cry.

“You’re such a good baby,” whispered Kylie, kissing her forehead. She turned to Allie. “I swear, any other baby would have been crying the entire time. Adria is definitely special.”

“That why we’ve got to get her out of this mall. And us.”

She scraped her lower lip with her teeth. “Yeah, I know.”

“That hole,” whispered Allie. “It’s scaring the crap out of me.”

“Me too. Aliens or not, it’s evil. I can feel it. Even the air around it seemed so… cold and creepy.”

She shivered. “You felt that too? I don’t think anything has scared me as much as that thing up until now. Even the zombies…”

“I think it’s either aliens or….”

“Something from Hell,” finished Allie, peering over the top of the jewelry case again.

She nodded. “Yeah. I really didn’t want to say that, but yeah.”

“We need to find a weapon or something,” whispered Allie, watching as three zombies staggered toward the jewelry shop, as if they sensed they were there.

“Yeah, I know. Diamonds are sharp, right?” she answered, smiling grimly. “Cause I don’t see much of anything else.”

Allie held her breath as the zombies began moving through the store. Fortunately, they weren’t able to get very far with all of the glass cases and eventually wandered off.

“This thing with the zombies is weird,” said Kylie. “Why are they not attacking us? I just don’t get it.”

“Me neither,” said Allie, sitting back down. “But I’m not going to trust that it will stay that way.”

“Exactly.”

Allie smiled down at Adria. “Is she really okay? I mean, I just can’t believe the way she’s handling everything.”

“I know. We need to find her another diaper soon, though.”

“She’s wet?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay,” she said, peeking over the glass counter once again. “I guess we’d better do something about that then. This is a huge place, they must have diapers somewhere.”

“Even cloth ones,” said Kylie. “Is it safe to leave?”

There were still several zombies moving around in the corridor, but thankfully, no Billie or any of his cohorts. “I hate to say it, but we’re never going to get out of this dang mall unless we use another exit,” she replied. “You know he’ll be watching for us at all of the main ones.”

“I’m sure you’re right; what should we do?”

She thought about it. “I know - we need to find out where the loading docks are and see if we can get out that way. Hopefully we’ll find some diapers along the way.”

“Good thinking,” replied Kylie. “Do you know where they are?”

“I think so.”

She picked up Adria. “Okay, let’s go.”

“Hold up. Let’s wait until some of these zombies turn the corner, then we’ll hit it.”

“Okay.”

Allie turned back toward the corridor. “So, what do you think is going on with Billie?”

Kylie shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe he’s crazy. He referred to himself as Travis earlier. What do you think?”

Allie hesitated. “Well, I thought maybe he was an alien, but the more I think about it, I’m starting to believe that Travis took possession of his body somehow. I mean, we pretty much know that he was some kind of demon, right?”

“I think so.”

“That could be why the zombies are leaving us alone, because Travis is still controlling them.”

“That’s scary.”

“Everything is scary. Especially that hole. I think those bats were from Hell and,” she swallowed hard, “that something much worse is going to be coming out of it next.”

“Like Lucifer?”

“Exactly.”

“Let’s hope not.”

Terrified of this possibility, they waited on pins and needles for a break in the zombies. Finally, Allie touched Kylie’s arm. “Come on, I don’t see any right now.”

Kylie stood up with Adria and the girls crept toward the exit. Before they could take a step out of the store, however, Billie appeared from around the corner, blocking their way. “Ladies,” he said, grinning smugly. “Did you find anything you like?”

Knowing that it was now or never, Allie shoved Billie with everything she had. “Run, Kylie!” she screamed. “Save Adria!”

Terrified, Kylie ran.

Billie grabbed Allie’s arm. “That wasn’t very smart.”

Remembering what Cassie had taught her, she poked him hard in the eyes with her other hand and then kicked him in the shin as hard as she could.

He hollered in rage and released her.

Allie took off running.

15

Cassie

After the ground stopped trembling, I stepped out of the restaurant, gripping the Tomahawk ax firmly in my right hand.

“What the hell am I thinking?” I said under my breath, staring at the hundreds of zombies crowding all around the MOA. “They were right. This has got to be a suicide mission beyond all other suicide missions.”

But you have to try and save the girls, countered a little voice in the back of my head. Have faith. You made it this far.

Taking a deep breath, I put one foot in front of the other and began walking. There was no time for second thoughts or reasoning. Sure, it was me against a couple hundred of them, but something told me that time was running out and if I didn’t go for it, my life would quickly follow suit.

As I neared the end of the restaurant’s parking lot, a short female zombie moved toward me along the sidewalk, dragging a bloody, dismembered arm.

Grimacing, I stopped and waited for her to drop the arm and charge me. Amazingly, however, she stayed on her course, paying me no mind.

“Hey,” I said, out loud.

Her glazed eyes met mine for a brief second and then dropped away.

“You sure about this?” I tried again, wondering if she thought that maybe I was one of them.

In response, her eyes stared blankly and she continued to ignore me.

I watched in troubled silence, even more stunned when she passed in front of me without so much as a pause. Raising my arm, I sniffed my skin, wondering if I smelled as repulsive as they did, but found nothing unusual in my scent.

I frowned. Her ignorance of fresh food was unsettling.

Brushing it aside, I crossed the street toward the mega mall’s parking lot, bracing for a different reaction from the others.

I’m nuts, I thought, staring at the massive crowd of dead in my path. What was even crazier, however, was that they also appeared oblivious to my approach. I’d almost expected the entire group of zombies to stop what they were doing and charge after me, but not these zombies - they just kept wandering around with no particular destination in mind..

As I approached the closest of the group, two males, who were so emaciated that I could see the bones in their ribcages, stepped out of my path, ignoring me.

What in the hell is going on? I wondered in disbelief as I stared at their retreating backs. Then, another zombie approached, and before I could raise my ax, she changed course, also taking no interest.

Grunting, I picked up my pace, zigzagging around dozens of them without interference. When I made it past the parking lot and to the main entrance of the mall, I turned around and stared at the crowd in disbelief, wondering if maybe I was truly losing my mind. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw headlights.

Crap.

It was the white truck, returning. As it drew closer to the mall exit, it slowed, as if searching for me.

“You made it, child.”

I whipped around and stared at an old man, holding the door open for me. He had white hair, blue eyes, and a friendly face. “Who are you?” I asked in shock, staring at his priest garb.

He chuckled. “Well, I’m a friend, here to help you.”

I glanced over my shoulder one last time and noticed the pickup was still there. I could almost feel his eyes on me and felt the hair stand up on the back of my neck.

“Who is that?” asked the priest, as the truck took off.

“Some asshole. Oh,” I turned back around and smiled sheepishly. “Sorry.”

“It’s quite all right, child. I’m sure you have your reasons.”

“You have no idea. Say, have you seen two girls and a baby around here?”

“Yes. That’s why I’m here, actually. Are you the sister to one of the girls?”

“Thank goodness. Yes, I’m Allie’s sister. Are they safe?”

“I am Father Brambati,” he replied. “Why don’t’ you just come in and check for yourself.”

“Thanks,” I said, stepping past him. “So, is there a man named Billie with them?”

His eyebrows furrowed. “Billie? No, I don’t think so.”

“Really?” I turned and caught him staring at my legs.

His eyes moved back up to mine and he smiled.  “My… my… that’s a very interesting outfit, young lady.”

I suddenly felt very self-conscious of the skimpy shorts. “I know. Not really my choice, but what can you do. Where are the girls?”

He started walking. “This way. They’ll be very excited to see you.”

I started walking next to him and noticed that there were zombies heading toward us from the opposite direction. I raised my ax. “Watch out, Father.”

He smiled. “Oh… don’t worry. They’re harmless.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Just watch.”

Sure enough, as we approached, the zombies ignored us and kept walking.

“Why are they ignoring us?” I asked, watching them.

“It’s his will,” said the priest.

I raised my eyebrows. “You mean God’s?”

His eyes moved to my ax.

“Father?”

“You won’t be needing weapons here,” he said, frowning. “In fact, why don’t you leave it behind and retrieve it later? To be honest, t’s making me quite uncomfortable.”

I stared at him in surprise. There was no way I’d give up the ax. No way. “Well, I’m sorry that it’s making you feel that way, but I can’t give it up. It’s all I have, and it’s too dangerous, even if the zombies are ignoring us.”

Just then, a woman and a man rounded the corner. When they noticed us standing in the corridor, they froze.

“Is everything okay?” asked the priest.

“Yes,” said the man, who appeared tense. He looked at my ax and his face darkened.

“Very good,” replied Father Brambati. “This is Cassie. She’s here to see the girls.”

They didn’t say anything, just continued to stare at me as we approached.

“Everything okay?” I asked, studying the couple uneasily when we stopped in front of them.

The woman smiled. “Of course.”

“Where are the girls?” I asked, watching another zombie stagger toward us.

“Follow me,” replied Father Brambati, stepping around the couple.

I did, and when we turned the corner and began walking toward the center of the mall, I gasped in shock.

“What in the hell is that?” I asked, staring in disbelief at the monstrous black hole in the floor.

The priest put his hand on my back. “It’s a miracle. Something that words alone cannot describe. Come and see for yourself.”

Frightened, I took a step away from him. There was no way I was going to get close to that thing. It looked like something out of a science fiction movie. “No, I’ll pass, thank you. Where are the girls?”

“Ah… she’s here.”

My head whipped around and I sighed in relief. “Billie, thank God. The priest said you weren’t here.”

He stepped out of the shadows. “Here I am, alive and in the flesh.” He smiled. “I’m glad you’re here. I believe I’m going to need your help.”

“Uh, sure,” I replied. “Where’s my sister, Kylie, and Adria?”

“Oh, they’re around here somewhere,” he replied. “They’ve got the mall all to themselves. Every girl’s dream, right?”

“Under normal circumstances,” I replied, staring at a zombie who was nearing the hole. “Right now, I’d say that it’s a little too dangerous for them to be having a ‘shopping spree’.”

He giggled eerily. “I agree. Try telling girls that age though, huh?”

My eyes settled back onto him. He’d shaved and was now dressed in an expensive-looking black suit, which was odd considering the situation. “You look good.”

He put his hands in his pockets. “I make the suit look good.”

I smiled.

“You look pretty good yourself,” he said, his eyes flickering to my uniform.

I blushed. “Obviously this isn’t mine.”

“Well, you have an entire mall of clothing at your disposal, pick out something else if you’d like. I’d lose the ax, though, it’s not working with your outfit.”

I looked down at my weapon. “No, someone special gave me this and I’m not letting it go.”

“Suit yourself.”

I wanted to ask why he’d taken the girls, but decided to wait. If he had the zombie virus, then he could be volatile and I didn’t want to antagonize him.

“So… are you really doing okay, Billie?” I asked, stepping closer. I wanted to touch his forehead, to see if he was feverish, although, admittedly, he looked pretty darn healthy. “You feeling sick or anything?”

“Actually, I’ve never been better.”

I looked into his eyes and there was something I didn’t recognize. A coldness. “Well… that’s a relief,” I said, feeling uneasy.

“Shall we find the girls?” he asked, glancing at the hole again. He smiled. “I’m sure you’re anxious to see them.”

“Very.”

“Get away from there!” hollered the priest. “You stupid idiot.”

I turned back toward the hole again and noticed a zombie near the edge.

“Dai!” shouted Billie.

The zombie turned around and walked away.

I raised my eyebrows. “Uh, what just happened?”

“Let’s go this way,” replied Billie, ignoring the question. He turned around and began walking toward the shops. “You should start calling for the girls, so they can hear your voice. They could be anywhere in this place.”

I followed him. “Billie, so… um… what’s going on with that hole? How did it get there?”

He smiled back at me. “It’s truly amazing, isn’t it?”

I felt the hair stand up on the back of my neck. “Amazing? More like freaky scary. I’ve never seen anything that deep in my life.”

“You’ve got that right.” He stopped walking and cocked his ear. “Hmm… Why don’t you call for your sister.”

I cleared my throat. “Allie!”

We waited. The mall was eerily quiet without the usual music or people noise.

“Keep calling,” he said.

“Kylie!” I yelled louder.

“Let’s go this way,” he said, pointing toward another corridor.

“Okay.”

We neared a clothing store that my sister adored. “Hold on,” I said, sticking my head inside of the dark entrance.  “Allie!?”

“She’s not in there.”

“How do you know?” I asked, looking back at him.

He shrugged. “She would have answered you, right?”

I sighed. “Yeah, I suppose.”

We continued down the corridor.

“Allie!” I hollered again.

No answer.

“Are you sure they’re safe with all of these zombies walking around?” I asked, as two more rounded the corner.

“The zombies aren’t interested in them. Don’t worry.”

“But why?” I asked. “Why would they suddenly not give a damn about us? We’re their food supply, right?”

“It appears that way,” he replied, sniffing the air. “They’re close. I can sense them.”

Sense them?

He turned to me. “Keep calling.”

“Allie! Kylie!” I screamed.

“Cassie!” hollered Allie. “Get away from him!”

I turned around and found my sister standing at the end of the hallway next to a toy store. Relieved, I grinned. “Allie!”

“Get away from Billie!” she yelled, looking panic-stricken.

I glanced at Billie. “What did you do to piss her off so much?”

“Nothing.”

“He’s trying to kill Adria!” hollered Allie.

He looked down at his nails and frowned. “What a little drama queen. God, she’s really starting to piss me off.”

I narrowed my eyes. He’d done nothing but piss me off in the last few hours. “Okay, you stay here. I think I need to talk to her alone.”

“Dammit, time is running out. Where is the baby, you little bitch?!” growled Billie.

I stared at him in shock. “Billie?”

“Run, Cassie!” hollered Allie.

“Run, Cassie,” he mimicked. “Like you can really escape.”

I started backing away from him. “I… I’m going to talk to her, okay Billie? I’m sure she’s just upset and scared after everything that’s been happening.”

“Stay where you are,” he ordered, the rings of his eyes beginning to glow.

I paused.

He smiled and held up his right hand. “Allie,” he hollered. “If you want to see your sister’s beautiful face again, you’ll come here. Now.”

He’s threatening me?!

I glared at him. “You stay there right there, Allie! Don’t you dare move a muscle.”

Billie’s hands began to glow.  “Remember this?” he asked, looking into my eyes.

I stared back at him in horror.

“Yes,” he replied, answering the question jumbling around in my mind. “It’s really me.”

“Travis?”

He grinned wickedly. “Would you like to see how quickly skin melts from the bone, Allie?”

My sister began to cry. “No!”

Fire flowed out of his hand, forming a small ball. It hovered in the air next to his face. “Last chance.”

“Run, Allie!” I screamed and began running toward her.

“Cassie!” she cried.

I’m not sure what exactly I tripped over, but my foot caught something on the linoleum and I fell forward just before the ball of fire shot past me and hit a wall. Staring at the flames in horror, I quickly got back to my feet and began running again.

“No, please, Billie!” screamed Allie, peeking around the corner.

Knowing he was launching another fireball, I spun to the side and ducked right before it hit me.

“Impressive!” hollered Billie. He smirked. “You just never disappoint, do you?”

When I reached Allie, I pushed her around the corner and grabbed her arm. “Where’s Kylie and Adria?”

“I don’t know. We split up,” she said.

I pulled her down the corridor toward Nordstrom’s. “I’m going to find a place for you to hide, and then search for them,” I said, grabbing her hand. “There should be plenty of places in Nordstrom’s.”

“What about Billie?”

“I’ll deal with him, too.” I hoped to at least.

We hurried into the store. I looked over my shoulder and was surprised to find that he hadn’t followed us.

“How did he do that?”

“What?” I asked as we passed the perfume department and headed toward the escalators.

“The fire? How did he make the fire?”

We began climbing the escalator. “I don’t know.”

“Is he a demon?”

When we reached the top, my eyes stopped at the Linens Department. “Come on,” I said, pulling her hand.

“Cassie? Would you answer me? What is going on with Billie?”

“Uh, a demon?” I wanted to shrug it off by laughing, but her question actually scared the hell out of me. He obviously wasn’t my friend Billie anymore. He was Travis. The problem was, I had no idea what Travis was. “I really don’t know.”

“I’m so scared,” she said, squeezing my hand.

I led her to an assortment of hanging shower curtains and stopped. “I know,” I said, turning to her. “But I’m here now and I won’t let anything happen to you.”

Her blue eyes searched mine. “Are we going to be okay?”

“Yes, we are.”

“I don’t want him to kill us.”

“He’s not going to, Allie. I won’t let him.”

“What about that hole? Did you see it?”

“Yes.”

“Do you think Satan is going to come out of it?”

I paused. “Satan?”

She nodded. “That’s what Kylie and I were thinking. Billie wants to sacrifice Adria and then Satan will know she’s dead. Then he’ll come here to try and rule the world.”

“That’s really… dark,” I replied.

She smiled grimly. “I know, but it’s starting to make sense.”

I sighed. “Listen, nobody is sacrificing Adria and you’re going to be safe, too.”

“How can you be so sure?”

I smiled. “Because, I’m your older sister. I know everything.”

She snorted.

I sighed. “Look, I don’t know for sure what is going to happen, but we’ve survived a lot and I’m not going to let that freak kill any of us, okay?”

She nodded.

“Now listen to me - you have to hide and stay hidden. Here,” I handed her my ax. “Hide behind these curtains and wait for me to come back for you.”

“What if you don’t come back?” she asked, her eyes filling with tears.

I hugged her. “I will, Allie. I promise. Just don’t leave here unless… there’s a fire or something.”

“And if there’s a fire?” she asked as I released her.

I thought about the people in the restaurant. “Remember that restaurant that dad used to love? The steak joint, right across from the mall?”

She nodded.

“There are other survivors there. Nice people. If I don’t come back in a couple of hours, try to find a way to get to those people. I know they’ll help you.”

“A couple of hours?” she asked, horrified. “I have to wait that long?”

“Well, yeah… It might take me a while to find Kylie and then get back here to you. Look, this place looks pretty safe and nobody will see you behind these curtains. Please, just promise me you won’t leave.”

She sighed and nodded. “Okay. Not before two hours.”

“Right. I don’t want you to leave any earlier. Okay?”

She frowned. “I don’t have a watch.”

I rubbed my forehead and looked around. “Fine…. I’ll be right back.”

“Okay.”

I rushed over to the cooking department and found a small handheld kitchen timer. I then hurried back and gave it to her. “There you go. Wind up the timer and when it goes off in an hour, rewind it for another hour. Easy, right?”

“Please come back,” she begged, her lower lip trembling.

I hugged her again. “I’ll do my best.”

“Do you think that Adria is the ‘Chosen One’?”

I released her. “Honestly, I really don’t know.”

“I think she is,” said Allie. “So, you’d better save her.”

16

Bryce and Company

“Did you hear that?” whispered Kristie.

“I didn’t hear anything,” said Tiny, pulling a long screwdriver out of a zombie’s forehead.

“That’s because you were too busy with him,” said Kristie, nodding toward the corpse. “But I definitely heard something.”

“I heard it, too,” said Henry, frowning.

“I think I heard Allie screaming,” said Paige, looking frightened.

“And the other voice may have been Billie’s,” said Nora. She sighed. “What in the hell has gotten into him? I just don’t get it.”

There was another scream.

“Let’s go,” snarled Bryce. “Time for some heads to roll.”

“As long as you let me at Billie first,” Nora, trying to keep up with him. “I owe him.”

“I’m not promising anything,” said Bryce, leading the way toward the center of the mall. “Especially if he’s hurt one of the girls.”

“Understandable,” replied Nora.

As Bryce was about to round the corner, he froze and raised his hand in the air. “Hold up… what in the hell is that?”

They all stopped and stared in astonishment at the large, black hole.

“Are you kidding me?” gasped Paige, moving toward it.

“Whoa, hold it, girl!” snapped Kristie, pulling her back. “Don’t you dare get near that thing.”

“It’s that damn hole you were talking about, isn’t it?” said Tiny.

Henry raised his gun and began moving toward it. “You guys just stay back. I’ll go and check it out.”

“Henry, I don’t think you should go near that thing,” warned Kristie. “You could lose your balance and fall in.”

“Oh, I’ll be fine,” he replied. “Just let me check this out. If something happens, the oldest one should be the one to go.”

“The oldest one should also be the wisest,” she replied. “So don’t get too close, Henry.”

“Would you look at that,” said Henry, stopping near the edge. “In all my years, I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s… unbelievable.”

Tiny walked over and stood beside Henry. “Wow, I feel like I’m looking down into space and the only thing missing are the stars.”

“How did it get here?” asked Nora, also moving to the edge.

“I don’t know. It certainly wasn’t here yesterday,” replied Justice.

“No, it wasn’t,” said Henry. “Damn, this couldn’t have been from an earthquake, either. Look at how perfectly round it is. And the edges, they look smooth.”

“This is really freaky,” said Nora.

“If it wasn’t an earthquake, what do you think?” asked Kristie.

“Hmm… Maybe it really is that portal you were talking about, Justice,” said Tiny.

“Wow, I can’t even see the bottom,” said Justice. He got down on his stomach and peered over the edge. “It looks like an infinite black hole.”

“That’s freaken wicked, man,” said Nora. “If there is a bottom, I hope to never see it.”

“Check this out, Bryce,” said Tiny, looking back at him over his shoulder. “Maybe you can give us a scientific explanation for this thing.”

Bryce sighed and moved toward the hole. When he reached the edge and looked down, he experienced an intense wave of vertigo.

“You okay?” asked Tiny, grabbing his arm.

“Yeah,” he said, stepping away from the hole. “Just don’t care much for heights.”

“Well, this is the mother of all heights, my friend,” said Henry. He pulled out a can of chew from his pocket and stuffed the remaining wad into his mouth. “Check this out,” he said, tossing the empty can into the hole.

They watched as the can dropped and disappeared into the darkness.

“What happened to it?” asked Paige, eager to get closer.

Nora laughed. “Don’t know. It’s probably still dropping.”

“You guys, get away from that thing. We need to find the girls,” said Kristie, looking uneasy

“Hey,” said Justice. “Do you see that?”

Nora’s eyes widened. “Oh shit, what is that?”

“What?” asked Paige pulling away from her mom.

“Paige, get back here,” snapped Kristie. “You don’t need to see.”

Justice stood up quickly. “Get away from the hole. Something’s coming!”

Tiny’s eyes widened. “Everybody move!”

Henry raised his rifle and aimed it. “I’ll take care of that damn thing. Looks like some kind of bat.”

“A mutant bat,” said Nora, backing away. “With five-inch fangs.”

The large winged creature flew out of the hole and soared toward the ceiling, making an unearthly screeching noise.

Kristie gasped in horror. “What in the hell is that? A vampire bat?”

The creature swooped back down and flew toward her and Paige, its ragged jaws open wide.

“Tiny!” screamed Kristie, pulling Paige with her as she began to run. “Kill the damn thing!”

Tiny took off running toward them, his gun raised in the air. “I’ll get it.”

“Go into that store!” hollered Henry. “And get underneath something!”

Kristie made a beeline toward the woman’s clothing store, pulling Paige with her. They got on their knees and crawled under a long glass display table.

“Mom, it followed us in!”

“Oh, my God,” she shuddered as the creature landed on the table and stared down at her with its blood-red eyes.

Tiny skidded to a stop and aimed it at the monster.

“Kill it!” screamed Kristie.

“Shit, my gun is jammed,” he hollered, trying to fix it.

Bryce charged into the store right as the winged beast took off flying again.

“What in the hell was that?” asked Kristie, as the thing flew to the back of the store and then out the doorway.

“It looked almost like a flying rat,” said Bryce.

“A rat the size of a Beagle,” said Justice as he and Henry stepped into the store.

“Where’d it go?” asked Kristie.

“It took off somewhere down the hallway,” said Henry.

Nora screamed.

“Oh, my God, you left Nora out there all alone?!” hollered Kristie, crawling out from under the table.

They all rushed out of the store and froze.

“Hey, guys,” said Billie, smiling. He stood next to the hole, his arm around Nora, who looked dazed and confused.

“Billie!” hollered Bryce, looking up toward the ceiling uneasily. “Long time no see.”

“Nora,” called Paige. “Are you okay?”

She didn’t answer.

“Nora?” called Paige once more.

“Something isn’t right,” said Kristie under her breath. “Nora’s not responding. Not even a smart-assed comment.”

“Something is definitely wrong,” whispered Paige.

Tiny stepped forward. “Hey, did you happen to see a large winged creature flying around out here?”

“Why, yes as a matter of fact I did,” he replied, still grinning.

“Uh, where did it go?” asked Kristie.

“I think it may have flown back into the hole,” he replied.

“Where’s Kylie, Allie, and Adria?” asked Tiny, moving toward him.

“Not really sure, actually. Somewhere in this building. They can’t get too far without me being alerted.”

“What’s going on with you?” asked Henry. He lowered his gun and walked over to them. “You doing okay, son?”

“I’ve never been better,” replied Billie.

“Nora,” said Henry. “What about you, you doing okay?”

“I’m fine,” she said in a monotone voice.

Billie released her. “She’s a feisty one, I’ll give her that. Good thing I calmed her down or she might have knocked us both into the hole.”

“Nora,” said Paige. “Didn’t you have something you wanted to say to Billie?”

She turned to him. “Yes. I’m so happy to see you again.”

Paige arched her eyebrow. “That’s it?”

Nora smiled. “I’ve missed you.”

“I can tell,” he replied. “And I’ve missed you.”

Bryce sighed. “Okay, it’s great that you’ve been reunited, but where are the girls?”

He scowled. “Like I said, I’m really not sure.”

“You haven’t seen Cassie either?”

He shrugged.

“Look, Billie” snapped Bryce. “We heard you arguing with her. I also heard Allie screaming. You’d better come clean and let us know what the hell is going on here before I lose my temper and kick your ass.”

“What is going on is that I need you people to find the girls and bring them to me. If you don’t obey my orders, you will all get to watch Nora’s flesh burn to a crispy black while she screams out her undying devotion to me.”

“I’m leaning more toward kicking your ass and then holding you down for Nora,” replied Bryce, setting down his gun.

Billie sighed. “Somehow I knew you people weren’t going to play nice. Very well.”  He raised his hands in the air and a ball of fire appeared. “Bring me the child and I will allow all of you to live. If you refuse, then death will be merciful after I’m done making each one of you suffer a most unimaginable pain.”

Henry quickly raised his gun. “Nora, move away from him.”

She didn’t respond.

“Tiny, grab her,” said Henry.

Billie looked at him, his eyes glowing a yellowish-orange. “Stay where you are and lower your gun, old man.”

“Can’t do that,” he replied.

Billie smiled coldly. “I think you can. You do remember the children at the church? Their frightened cries when they realized that their precious refuge was on fire?”

Henry scowled. “Oh, I remember, and that’s why you’d better stop all of this before someone gets hurt, mainly you.”

“I don’t mind pain. I don’t mind giving or receiving it.”

“You’re one twisted sonofabitch,” mumbled Henry, cocking his gun.

His face darkened. “At least I’m not a pathetic excuse for a man like you, Henry. Bragging to everyone how you were some kind of stud your entire life when you couldn’t even get a woody. Tell us, what kind of a cowboy are you, when you can’t even get your own gun loaded, Henry?”

Henry glared at him. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, but I do. I know everything about you. Remember Mary?” He grinned evilly. “You were always trying to act like you could make that woman happy. She laughed at you, even when you weren’t looking. Felt nothing but pity. Good thing she wasn’t interested in your pruny old ass, or you would have left another woman frustrated and disappointed in life. ”

“Now that’s enough!” hollered Tiny, stomping toward Billie. “Nobody talks to my grandfather like that!”

Billie’s eyes narrowed. “You’d better stop right there or I’m going to make you holler in such a deep voice that everyone will mistake you for a man.”

“Forgive me, God,” muttered Henry under his breath as he pulled the trigger. “For not killing this bastard all the way the first time.”

The impact of the bullet from Henry’s gun knocked Billie backwards, sending him into the black hole.

Nora’s eyes closed and she collapsed to the ground.

“Nora!” hollered Kristie, rushing to her side. She bent down and checked her pulse. “She’s okay. She’s breathing.”

Henry walked to the edge of the hole and looked down. “Oh, hell. What did I do?” he whispered in horror. “I think I just killed one of us.”

Justice walked over and stood next to him. “That was Travis, not Billie.”

“He’s right,” said Paige. “Billie would have never acted like that. Plus, you saw what he did with his hands.”

“He would have killed one of us,” said Justice. “You did what you had to do.”

Henry removed his hat. “Well, I reckon you’re right. I just couldn’t stand listening to his lies anymore. And then when he threatened Tiny… well that was the straw that broke the camel’s back.”

Bryce put his hand on Henry’s shoulder. “It’s okay, Henry. Something was really off about that guy.”

“Like he was possessed,” stated Paige. “You saw what he did with his hands.”

Bryce sighed but didn’t answer.

“What happened?” mumbled Nora.

“You don’t remember?” asked Kristie.

She stood up slowly. “No… I remember something flying out of the hole… and then seeing Billie. But that’s it.”

“He wasn’t Billie anymore,” said Justice.

She turned to him. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“He’s gone,” said Kristie. She put an arm around her shoulders.

Nora’s eyes widened “As in dead?”

“Yeah. But he’s finally at peace. At least, I hope,” said Kristie, glancing uneasily toward the hole.

Nora paused and then sighed. “Well, I guess there’s nothing more to say.”

Paige’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Oh, my goodness! Survivors!” hollered a voice. “God has truly answered my prayers.”

They all turned to find a priest rushing toward them. He stopped in front of Tiny. “My name is Father Brambati. I can’t tell you how grateful I am to find you people. This is surely a blessed day.”

“Where did you come from?” asked Bryce.

He turned to Bryce. “I was upstairs when I heard the noise.”

“No, when and how did you get to the mall?” he asked.

“By car, earlier today. I came to Minnesota to search for my family. My grandson used to work here… I thought I’d see if he’d somehow survived.” His face fell. “Unfortunately, I couldn’t find him. Nothing here but zombies and death.”

“And that hole,” said Paige.

He nodded. “Yes. It’s incredible, isn’t it?”

“What do you make of it?” asked Kristie. “Do you think it has something to do with the supernatural?”

The priest walked to the hole and stood there for a minute, not saying anything.

“Father?” asked Tiny. “What do you think?”

He looked up. “Actually, it’s a bridge.”

“A bridge, huh? Where does the bridge lead to?” asked Bryce, frowning.

“You’ve heard of the End of Days, have you not?”

Bryce grimaced. “Well, yeah. Lately, I’ve heard a lot about it. Are you saying that we’re really at the end of our rope here?”

“Some of us are,” said the priest. “But not all.”

“I don’t get it,” said Henry. “I’ve never heard of a black hole in the Bible. What has this got to do with the prophecy in Revelations?”

Father Brambati smiled. “This is the bridge between Heaven and Earth.”

17

Cassie

I left Nordstrom’s in search of Kylie and Adria, but it was like trying to find a needle in a haystack. There were so many stores and hallways… plus, I couldn’t risk calling either of their names out loud. Not when Billie was undoubtedly searching for me.

Billie, aka, Travis.

The fact that he was now possessed by Travis scared the living crap out of me. I had no idea how to stand up to a supernatural being, let alone one who could start a fire with his bare hands. The fact that he could also leap into someone else’s body was no less terrifying. If I could just find the girls and get back to Bryce. That’s all I wanted…

Frustrated but not yet beaten, I searched every store I came across, as well as the bathrooms. Then I saw something that made me want to toss in the towel and head back to the bar for another shot.

“No freaken way,” I gasped when the giant bat thing swooped down from the ceiling, screeching something crazy.

Frightened, I ran into the nearest store and grabbed a long metal clothing pick-stick. With my heart pounding, I held the metal grabber in front of me and crept back out into the hallway. This time I found myself alone in the hallway with something familiar and less daunting - a zombie with most of his facial skin missing as well as his pants.

I cringed.

Fortunately, he ignored me just as the others had.

I relaxed slightly and started down the corridor again. Before I made it to the end of the hallway, the flying creature made another appearance. With its enormous black wings flapping loudly, it flew at me again, glaring at me with red eyes.

I raised the stick and slammed it against the beast’s face with everything I had. Fortunately, it tumbled to the ground and then lay motionless.

Finish it off.

I started toward the animal, wondering what the hell it was. It was much larger than a bat and like nothing I’d ever seen in any school textbook.

Noticing me get closer, it screamed in rage and flew back into the air.

Fortunately, the naked zombie was close. Grimacing, I pushed him in front of me and used him like a shield as the flying beast attacked. The creature opened its mouth and impaled the zombie in the forehead. The zombie fell to the ground, with the creature still attached, and I stabbed it with the end of the pick-stick, twisting until it was finally silent.

As I backed away with the bloody stick, I heard the sound of a baby crying.

Adria!

I began running toward the noise and when I rounded the next corner, I saw the couple from earlier with Kylie and Adria. The man had Kylie by the arm and the woman was bent over Adria, who was sobbing in terror.

“Let her go,” I said firmly, stepping toward them.

Kylie shrugged off the man’s hand and rushed to Adria. She picked her up and moved toward me.

“Are you okay?” I asked, eyeing her.

“Yeah,” she replied, her eyes full of tears. “No thanks to them.”

Sneering, the man pulled out a gun and aimed it at us. “Why don’t you just put that stick down?”

I glared at him.

“Do it, or I’ll just shoot you. I have no problem with that.”

Sighing, I did what he asked.

The blond woman smiled triumphantly. “Good. He’ll be so happy with us.”

“What is wrong with you people?”  I snapped. “Treating babies and children like this?”

The man smirked. “This isn’t your ordinary baby.”

“Oh, come on… do you really think that this baby is the ‘Chosen One’? I mean, she can’t even protect herself, let alone the world.”

“You’re just trying to protect her,” remarked the woman with a sneer.

I sighed. “You’re so wrong, you know. Wasting time trying to track this innocent kid when she isn’t even the one you should be worried about.”

The man’s eyes narrowed. “What are you saying?”

“Because I’m the one you should be afraid of, not her,” I replied, only half bluffing.

The woman’s eyes widened. “What are you saying?”

“What do you think I’m trying to say?”

“Don’t listen to her,” said the man. “She’s full of it.”

“Are you sure?”

The couple glanced at each other.

“If she is supposed to save the world, wouldn’t she be older?” I said. “I mean think about it - how could such a young child stop a demon from ruling the world?”

“We are to stop the baby before she grows up,” the woman stated. “Thus the zombie apocalypse. This whole thing was set up to make it easier for us to find and stop her.”

My eyes widened. “Are you saying that Travis is responsible for the zombies?”

“Not him. Abaddon,” she replied.

“Enough,” said the man. “You’ve said too much.”

“Who cares?” replied the woman. “She should know how powerful he is. She should honor him, as we do.”

“Where do I find this Abaddon?” I asked, hoping that I had a chance to show this character how I really felt about his zombie apocalypse. Because of him, my parents were dead and so were most of my friends and family. If anyone needed to pay, it was obviously that guy.

“Don’t worry,” she replied. “You’ll be meeting him soon enough.”

18

Bryce and Company

“You’re shitting me,” said Henry. His cheeks turned pink. “Oh, forgive me, Father. I’m just shocked, is all.”

The priest smiled. “It’s quite all right. Given the circumstances, I understand your particular choice of words.”

“When are they coming?” he asked, staring back into the dark hole.

“Well, you’ve all probably seen the first signs,” he said solemnly. “The storms, the earthquakes, the blood in the water, and now the darkness that has settled upon us.”

“That’s why the sun hasn’t risen?” asked Paige.

“Yes.”

“Uh, about this bridge to Heaven,” said Justice, peering over the edge. “Is that really at the end of this hole?”

“I’m not exactly sure how it works, but there is indeed something on the other side. Did you feel the vibrations in the floor earlier?”

“Yes,” replied Kristie, slowly moving toward the hole. “What was that, exactly? Oh… wow… that’s deep.”

Paige walked over and looked down. “That doesn’t look like a bridge to Heaven to me.”

“I agree,” said Kristie, backing away. “To me it looks more like something out of a horror movie. And that thing that flew out of the hole… that definitely wasn’t an angel.”

Paige turned to the priest. “Did you happen to notice the oversized bat flying around the mall? The one with twelve-inch fangs and beady red eyes?”

“No,” said the priest. “I’m happy to say that I didn’t come across such a thing.”“If this is a bridge between Heaven and Earth, why would it unleash something that tried attacking us?” asked Henry.

“You’ve heard the old fables about the ‘troll bridge’?” asked Father Brambati.

Paige snorted.

“It’s my understanding that the bridge has many guards, not all of them friendly,” he said.

“Makes sense to me,” replied Bryce. “As crazy as it sounds, it does make sense.”

“Unbelievable,” said Paige. “It took a bat out of a hole to make you believe this stuff?”

“And a priest,” he replied.

“What’s going to happen next?” asked Kristie.

“Well, we need to find the child, quickly.”

“You’re talking about Adria, right?” asked Tiny.

He smiled. “I’m not sure of the child’s name. Tell me about Adria.”

Tiny explained how they’d found the baby. “And the guy, or demon, whatever the hell he was… sorry Father, he believed that she was the ‘Chosen One’.”

He rubbed his chin and nodded. “Well, he could probably sense that she was special and a threat. Where is Adria?”

“We don’t know,” said Kristie. “Somewhere in the mall.”

“Let’s start searching,” said Tiny, picking up his gun. “Kristie, you and Paige come with me. We’ll take the top level. Justice, why don’t you and Bryce start at the bottom and we’ll meet in between.”

“I’m coming, too,” said Nora.

“You’ve been through a lot and I think you should stay here with Henry,” replied Tiny. “In case the kids come back this way.”

“Whatever you say.”

***

They split up and Paige followed Tiny and Kristie up the motionless escalators.

“I’m thankful that the lights are working, but these escalators are killing me,” she said after they reached the highest level of the mall.

“I’m surprised that there are lights,” said Paige. “They weren’t working last time we were here.”

“Somebody must have switched on the generators,” said Tiny.

“So, mom… did you notice that Nora’s acting weird?” asked Paige.

“Nora has always been weird,” said Kristie. “Hate to say it.”

“Well, something is up, because normally she isn’t so agreeable with everything,” said Paige.

Kristie sighed. “All jokes aside… she’s been through a lot in the past few days, Paige. She found her dad’s body and a demon possessed her boyfriend. That’s a lot to digest, you know? I think it’s safe to say that Nora has earned the right to act a little weirder than usual.”

“I suppose,” she replied. “It’s just that…”

“What?” asked Kristie.

She hesitated.

“Tell us what’s on your mind,” said Tiny.

“Well, what if the demon jumped out of Billie’s body and into Nora?”

Kristie stopped walking. “Don’t say that.”

“Think about it. He obviously did it to Billie. Why wouldn’t he do it to Nora if he needed to?”

Kristie turned to Tiny. “What do you think?”

He sighed. “As far as I’m concerned, anything is possible at this point.”

Kristie closed her eyes rubbed the space between her brows. “Well, I think we’d better watch Nora closely. If Travis is controlling her, then…”

“Oh, hell,” said Tiny. “I’d better warn Gramps and that priest, just in case.” He handed Kristie his gun. “You keep looking for the girls and I’ll be back up in a minute.”

Kristie looked at the gun uneasily. “Okay, but you know how I am with these things.”

He unlocked the safety. “Aim and shoot, babe, aim and shoot.”

“Okay.”

“And keep the gun down unless you actually have a target, mom,” said Paige, moving out of her way.

“Oh, sorry,” she replied. “Just get back up here soon, Tiny. I’m sure we’re being overly paranoid anyway.”

“Let’s hope so,” he said.

19

Cassie

“So, you’re saying that Abaddon, A.K.A. Lucifer himself, is involved with the zombie apocalypse because he’s trying to flush out the ‘Chosen One’ and destroy her… I mean,” I smirked. “Me.”

“Give it a rest, you’re not the one we want, sweetheart,” said the man, smiling coldly. “Now, unless you want me to shoot one of you in the head, you’re going to accompany us back to the hole.”

Since he had the gun and I had no other option at the moment, I decided to play nice. For now. “Fine. Just don’t start shooting people.”

“Do as you’re told and I won’t have to,” he replied.

“Where is the other girl, Allie?” asked the woman.

“She’s long gone,” I replied. “I sent her away.”

“We don’t need her anyway,” said the man. “We have the child.”

“So, um… where have all the zombies gone?” I asked, trying to distract her.

“Do you really care?” asked the woman.

“Yes. It’s weird.”

“If you really must know… Travis sent most of them into the parking lot and away from the hole.”

“Why?” I asked.

“So they don’t fall in. Their entrance into the other realm might anger him, should they somehow survive the fall.”

“Lucifer?” I asked.

“Of course,” she said. “Anyway, once he enters this world, zombies will be the least of your worries.”

I swallowed hard. “Enters? Uh, when will that be?”

“Once the child is sacrificed,” she replied, her eyes glittering.

I glanced at Kylie, who looked ready to bolt. I mouthed the word ‘no’ to her and she sighed.

When we were about to round the corner leading to the hole, the woman stopped abruptly and then shooed us back.

“What is it?” asked the man.

“There are two people with the priest,” she said. “I don’t recognize either of them.”

He walked around us and peered around the corner. “I don’t either,” he said, frowning. “Look, why don’t you go over and find out while I watch these two?”

“Fine, but this doesn’t feel right,” she mumbled, disappearing around the corner.

“How’s Adria?” I asked, while the man’s eyes shifted from me and Kylie, and then back around the corner.

“She needs a diaper,” replied Kylie.

“I’m sure,” I said, trying to decide the best way to disarm our captor. “I think we can find one for her somewhere in the mall.”

John turned around and smirked. “Don’t waste your time, kid. She won’t need a new one where she’s going.”

I clenched my jaw.

This guy was a real tool.

He seemed to notice and enjoy my irritation. He smiled even wider.

I tried to remain calm. “So, what’s going on over by the hole?” I asked, my eyes darting to his gun, which I knew would be mine soon enough.

He looked around the corner again. “Just some old man and a dark-haired girl.” His face darkened. “Shit, now who in the hell is that dude?”

With John’s attention diverted, I launched, getting him with a side-kick to his kidney.

With a loud grunt, he flew forward and landed on his stomach. He lost hold of the gun and it slid across the linoleum.

I ran over and grabbed it. “Get up,” I ordered, pointing the gun at him.

Wincing, he stood up slowly and then glared at me.

“Hands in the air,” said Kylie, now standing next to me.

I smiled. “You heard her.”

He rolled his eyes.

“Do it!” I hollered, glaring at him.

He raised them in the air.

“Okay, let’s go join the others,” I said. “Turn around and walk toward the pit. You try anything, John, and I’ll make sure you end up in that damn hole.”

Muttering something under his breath, he started moving forward. As we rounded the corner, I sighed in relief when I noticed Tiny, Henry, and Nora.

“Oh no,” said Kylie. “That guy who’s with them is friends with Billie, I mean Travis.”

“Father Brambati,” I said, nodding. “Yeah, I’ve met that guy. Something tells me he’s spewing lies to Tiny and Henry now.”

“They need to get away from him,” said Kylie, holding Adria closer. “He’s dangerous.”

“Guys!” I hollered, as we moved toward them. “Watch out for the woman and the priest! They can’t be trusted!”

Tiny stepped away from Father Brambati and Henry raised his gun toward the woman.

“Thank God,” said Tiny, grinning widely. “You guys are safe! Kristie has been worried sick!”

Henry smiled as I approached. “Well, I’ll be damned. Somehow I just knew you’d make it here, Wild.”

I smiled grimly. “Apparently the mall was on the way to wherever that prick in the truck was headed. He practically dropped me off at the front door.”

“What happened to him?” asked Tiny.

“Not really sure. He took off.”

Henry frowned. “Huh. Strange days indeed.”

“Tell me about it. Speaking of strange, have you seen Billie?”

“He’s gone,” replied Nora. “As in, dead.”

“What happened?” I asked.

“Long story short,” said Henry. “Billie actually had been possessed by Travis, and he’s probably still falling down in that pit over there.”

“You got him?” I asked.

His eyes twinkled. “Damn right.”

My eyes went back to Nora. “I’m really sorry about Billie, Nora. Are you doing okay?”

“I’m a survivor,” she replied.

“Damn right you are,” said Henry.

I smiled.

“So what in the hell is going on with these three?” asked Tiny, eyeing them suspiciously. “You say they were with Travis?”

“Yes and they all want to kill Adria,” snapped Kylie.

Father Brambati’s eyes widened. “Goodness, child, have I done anything to harm you or the baby?”

She glared at him. “No, but I heard you talking. You were okay with Billie sacrificing Adria!”

“Why, that’s ridiculous,” sputtered Father Brambati. “I’m a man of faith. I’ve devoted my entire life to the church and your accusations are ridiculous.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Of faith? I guess the real question is - with whom does your faith and devotion lie?”

“Child, you’ve got me all wrong,” he replied, his face turning red. “I had no idea that they’d planned on sacrificing the infant. No idea at all!”

I turned to the couple, who’d been silent. “From what these two told me, they’d planned on sacrificing Adria to let Lucifer into our world. Father Brambati is in on it, too. Just as Kylie said.”

“Wild, are you certain about this?” asked Henry, looking unsure. “Because that’s a mighty strong accusation to make against a priest.”

“Henry, we are not making this up,” I insisted. “He’s under Travis’s thumb, just like these two. Or rather, they were. You can’t trust any of them.”

“She’s right,” said Kylie, eyeing the couple suspiciously. “Especially these two.”

Henry paused. “Well, I’ve got to take your word for it. You, people, however,” he said, spitting out a wad of chew. “I don’t trust you as far as I can spit.”

Father Brambati took a step forward. “But Henry -”

“Save it,” he replied, cutting him off. “I’ve got no time for lies, especially from someone who’s dishonoring a position as a man of God.”

The priest glared at him. “You’re going to regret this. All of you.”

Henry smirked. “Why is it when someone says that, the only thing regretted is not pulling the trigger fast enough?”

Father Brambati’s eyes lowered to Henry’s gun but he held his tongue.

“Well, it’s certainly good to see you guys. How are you doing okay, Kylie?” asked Tiny, putting his arm around her.

She smiled up at him. “Relieved.”

Nora cleared her throat. “So… how is the baby?”

“Pretty good,” said Kylie. “Considering what we’ve been through.”

Nora walked over and smiled down at the baby. “If you’d like, I can hold her. I’m sure you’re just exhausted,” she said, pushing her dark hair behind her ears.

Kylie kissed Adria’s forehead. “No… she needs to have her diaper changed and my shirt is already kind of damp. I’ll just keep her for now.”

“Are you sure? Because I don’t mind.”

“Believe me, she’s really wet.” Kylie turned to Tiny. “Um, so where’s my mom?”

He groaned and slapped his forehead. “Oh hell, I forgot. She’s looking for you. I’ll go round them up so that they know you’re safe. Hey, where’s Allie?” he asked, frowning.

“I left her in Nordstrom’s,” I replied.

He sighed in relief. “Good. I was almost afraid to ask. Well, I’ll go and round up the rest of the group.”

“Okay,” I replied as he jogged toward the stairs.

“Bryce is sure going to be happy to see you,” said Henry, his blue eyes softening. He chuckled. “In fact, I think he might be handcuffing you to his wrist from now on.”

I smiled. “I think I might actually let him.”

The priest began to cough.

My smile fell. “You okay?”

“I could use something to drink,” he said in a hoarse voice.

“We’ll find you something when the others return,” said Henry.

“Bless you,” replied the priest.

I refrained from rolling my eyes.

Henry waved his gun toward a broken fountain a few feet away. “Why don’t you three sit over against that retaining wall, where I can keep an eye on you?”

The priest sighed. “Look, I am no threat to you, friend. Please… just hear me out -”

“My hearing is bad and my true friends know better than to try and pull the wool over my eyes,” stated Henry, tightening his grip on the gun. “So, unless you want to find out what’s on the other side of that bridge you were bragging about, I’d keep my mouth shut and sit your ass down like I told you!”

“That’s no way to talk to a man of God,” replied the priest in shock.

I snorted. “Really?” I said. “You’re honestly going to go there?”

“Just go and sit your ass down already,” said Nora, looking aggravated.

Father Brambati’s muttered something under his breath as he joined the others by the fountain.

Henry sighed. “By George, I think he’s finally understanding us.”

“I hope so,” I said in a low voice, looking at the trio uneasily. “But, I still don’t trust them. John was telling me that Lucifer was the one who started the zombie apocalypse. Apparently, he wants to kill Adria before she grows up and is strong enough to stand up to him.”

His eyebrows shot up. “Is that right?”

I bit my lower lip. “Yes. And after seeing Travis’s powers, I’m having a hard time not believing him.”

“Now listen here,” said Henry with a determined look on his face. “There is no way in hell that I’m letting these people touch Adria, by golly. So, you just worry about your sister and keeping Bryce happy. Pay no mind to what that feller told you.”

“It’s kind of hard not thinking about it,” I said. “We’re talking about the devil.”

“Wild, don’t underestimate me,” he said. “Especially right now. Hell, I’ve gotten my second wind and I’m in the mood for a little Copenhagen and a little ass kicking.” He patted his shirt pocket and frowned. “And it looks like I’m all out of chew.”

I chuckled. “It appears that we never run out of the latter, though.”

“You got that right,” he said, his eyes twinkling.

Still chuckling, I walked to the edge of the black hole and looked down. “You know, I wonder what’s really at the bottom of this?”

“I don’t know, and frankly, I don’t want to ever find out,” said Henry.

“Can I look in the hole?” asked Kylie.

I turned to her. “Yeah, but not with Adria in your arms. I don’t want her getting near this thing. You know, just in case.”

“Look,” said Nora. “I can hold Adria. I really don’t care if she’s wet.”

“Okay,” said Kylie. “I just want to get a quick peek at the hole.”

“No problem.” Nora walked to Kylie. She reached over and touched Adria’s cheek. “Hey there,” she said in a soft voice. “Remember me?”

The baby stared at Nora.

“Here,” said Kylie. “Don’t be shy, just take her.”

Nora grinned and accepted the baby. “My, you’re as light as a feather.”

“Kylie!” hollered Kristie, rushing down the escalator. “Oh, thank God you’re okay!”

Kylie squealed and then ran toward her mother, who was crying.

“Kylie,” sobbed Kristie, holding her close.

“I missed you so much.”

“I’ve missed you, too, baby. I was so worried,” said Kristie, closing her eyes.

Paige smiled at her sister over her mother’s shoulder. “Missed you, too, Paige.”

“Me too, Ky,” said Paige, squeezing her shoulder. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

“You really are okay?” asked Kristie, pulling away. She touched her forehead and studied her face.

“Mom… I’m fine,” said Kylie reassuringly.

Paige walked over to me. “Seriously, you had us all worried when that jerk took off with you in his truck. Did you teach him a lesson?”

“No,” I replied sullenly. “He took off.”

“Too bad.” Paige turned toward Nora and her face paled. “Uh, who gave her the baby?”

Kristie quickly released Kylie. “Hey, Nora, why don’t you give me Adria? She probably needs a diaper change.”

Nora shook her head. “No, that’s okay,” she replied, backing away. “I’ve got her.”

“Nora,” said Paige in a stern voice. “Give my mother the baby. You’re getting way too close to the hole. You might drop her.”

Nora looked at the baby and her forehead wrinkled. “You know, something isn’t right, here.”

“What do you mean, isn’t right?” I asked.

“Nora,” warned Henry. “Watch out for that hole.”

She didn’t say anything, just stared into Adria’s eyes.

“Nora, are you okay?” I asked, taking a step toward her. I wondered if all the stress had finally gotten to her.

She licked her lips and then looked at me. “I’m totally fine. Here,” she said, holding out Adria by her armpits. “You can have her if you want.”

I reached out and grabbed the baby. “Thanks.”

Kristie walked over to me. “I’ll take her. Like I said, I’m sure she needs a diaper and formula. Tiny said he’d return with some.”

I handed her the baby and turned to Nora. “You sure you’re feeling okay?”

She smiled. “Yeah, why are you guys so paranoid? I’m fine. Really.”

A low hum echoed from the hole and we all turned toward it.

“Oh, hell, now what’s going on?” said Henry.

Nora and I both stepped closer and peered inside.

Small red lights. As they moved closer, they reminded me of eyes.

“Oh, my God,” I gasped. “Are those what I think they are?”

“Shit,” hollered Henry. “Everyone, find cover!”

“Follow me,” ordered Kristie, running toward a woman’s clothing shop with Adria. “We’ll be in the dressing rooms until you guys kill those damn things!”

“Cassie!” yelled Bryce.

With my heart pounding wildly in my chest, I turned toward the sound of his voice and began running in that direction.

He opened up his arms, obviously expecting me to enter them, but instead, I ran past him. “Run!” I yelled, hearing the loud screeches behind me.

Henry’s shotgun went off.

“Cassie, watch out!” yelled Bryce as dark shadows loomed above us.

I covered my head with my arms and kept running.

“In here!” hollered Bryce, grabbing me by the arm. He pulled me into a shoe store and then to the backroom.

He slammed the door shut and then turned to me. “Thank God you’re okay,” he said, pulling me into his arms.

I rested my cheek against his chest and closed my eyes. “I’m sorry. I know I messed up. Again.”

He pulled away and looked down into my eyes. “No, I messed up. I should have let you come with us into the police station.”

I smiled sheepishly. “It’s okay. I understand. You were just trying to protect me. But, you know… I can take care of myself.”

He smoothed the side of my hair. “I know you can, but it’s frustrating for a guy like me.”

I raised my eyebrows. “What do you mean?”

He lowered his face until his lips were almost touching mine. “I want to be the one that keeps you safe. Me. Your fiancé.”

“You do,” I whispered, still loving the sound of that.

Fiancé.

His lips touched mine for a brief moment. “Only when you let me,” he replied, a smile tugging at his lips.

I smiled back. “True.”

A scream from somewhere in the mall separated us. “That sounded like Paige,” I said in a shaky voice.

He swore. “Figures. I want you to stay here. I’m going to take a look and see what’s happening.”

I stared at him in disbelief. Hadn’t we just talked about this? “Bryce, I can help.”

His looked down at my hands. “Do you have a weapon?”

I sighed. “No.”

He leaned forward and kissed my lips quickly. “Well, then there’s a better chance you’ll become a liability if I let you ‘help’. Just… wait here and I’ll come back for you.”

“But…”

He raised my chin with his fingers and looked into my eyes. “Hey, no weapon and no buts.”

I rolled my eyes.

He chuckled and ran away.

I sighed and then began looking around for something to use against the creatures. Unfortunately, there was nothing but shoehorns and shoes.

“Cassie! You back here?” a voice hollered when I was searching the back bathroom...

Nora!

I stuck my head out and smiled. “Hey. Are they gone yet?”

She smiled. “Pretty much. Bryce told me to come and get you. We’re leaving soon.”

“Thank God.”

“I know, right? I’m so sick of this place.”

“Me too. Before we leave, I need to get my sister from Nordstrom’s.”

“I’ll go with you after we find Bryce,” she replied.

“Where is he?”

“I think he’s still back by the hole.”

“Is Paige, okay? We thought we heard her screaming.”

“I think so,” Nora replied, stepping over a pile of shoe boxes. “But I don’t know for sure.”

We walked out of the stockroom. “God, I hope one of those bat-things didn’t get her.”

“Me too.”

We walked out of the store and through the corridor. When we made it back to the center of the mall, I noticed three dead flying creatures, two with gunshot wounds and one with its head bashed in.

“These things are so… creepy,” I said, wrinkling my nose. “I wonder how many of them came out of the ground.”

“Oh… about a dozen,” Nora replied, stepping over another one.

My eyes widened. “You stuck around and counted?”

She chuckled. “Not really, I hid under a bench. You should have seen it, though. It was kind of funny… everyone was screaming and you all took off in different directions.”

“Oh, yeah,” I said dryly. “Really funny.”

“Well, I thought it was kind of comical. Then, a few minutes later, the flying things pretty much disappeared and Bryce came back. When he noticed they were gone, he told me to come and find you. I bet he went to go search for the others.”

“Yeah. Uh, do you know where’s Kristie and Paige are?”

She shrugged. “Guess I’m not really sure.”

I glanced over at the hole. “Geez. I hope nothing else comes out of that thing. It’s already freaking the hell out of me.”

She walked to the hole and stared down. “Oh… I suspect that something will be coming out of it. Obviously, it’s here for a reason.”

I shuddered. “Okay, then let me rephrase that – I hope that we’re out of here before anything else makes an appearance.”

She smirked. “Scared, huh?”

My eyebrows shot up. “Yeah, aren’t you?”

“Not really.”

“Well, you should be,” I answered.

Her eyes glittered. “Tell me, where does your faith lie?”

I bit back a smile. A religious conversation with Nora, who was more than likely an atheist, was bound to be interesting. “I’m a Christian. What about you?”

She shrugged.

“Hey, I’m sorry about Billie,” I said, studying her face. On the outside she appeared to be holding it together, but that was Nora. She didn’t like to show many emotions.

“Me too. I really needed him.”

“He really cared about you.”

“Yeah, I’m sure.”

I sighed and looked around. “Well, I’m not sure what’s taking them so long, but I need to get my sister before she leaves Nordstrom’s. Could you wait here and tell Bryce where I went?”

“Wow, come here for a second,” she said, lowering to one knee.

“What?” I asked, walking toward her.

“Something is definitely happening.” She squealed in delight. “Check it out!”

I looked into the hole and saw a flash of light. A chill went down my spine. “What in the heck is happening now?”

“It’s time to get this show on the road,” she said, standing up.

I tore my eyes away from the activity in the pit. “What do you mean?”

Her hand snaked out and grabbed the back of my hair, wrapping it around her fist. “Just like I said,” she hissed, pulling out a knife. She held it up to my neck.

“What are you doing?” I gasped.

“It has to be you,” she said, her eyes beginning to glow. “You are the ‘Chosen One’.”

“Are you freaken crazy?”

“Shut up, bitch.”

I stared at her face in horror.  Her eyes were glowing, just like Billie’s had. “Oh, my God!”

She smirked. “Oh, you’ve finally figured it out? Took you long enough.”

“Travis?” I replied hoarsely.

“Bingo.”

“Wild. What’s going on?” hollered Henry, coming toward us. “Nora, what in the hell are you doing?”

“It’s Travis!” I choked, wondering if I should try and get her knife. We were dangerously close to the hole. Too close.

“Hey, don’t even think about it,” she growled, pulling my hair cruelly.

“What have you done to Nora?” I asked.

She grinned evilly. “Oh, she’s here and hating every minute of this. Unfortunately for you, she can’t help you at the moment.”

“Nora, fight him,” I said, staring into her eyes. “Please fight him.”

“Let her go!” yelled Henry, now shuffling toward us.

“No!” she snarled, holding the knife to my throat. “I need her. She’s the ‘Chosen One’. She even admitted it earlier.”

Henry stopped and raised the gun. “If you don’t let her go, I’ll pull the trigger.”

“Then you’ll kill all three of us,” she replied. “Which right now, I’m actually okay with.”

Henry’s face fell. “Please,” he begged, lowering the gun. “Don’t do this.”

She glanced over her shoulder, toward the dark pit and smiled. “The light… it’s getting brighter. The bridge is opening all the way.”

“The bridge to Heaven?” asked Henry.

She burst out laughing. “Hell no, old man. Are you really that naive?”

“Stop!”

We all turned to see a small boy walking toward us.

My eyes widened in shock when I recognized who it was. “Oh, my God… Bobby?!” I gasped as our eyes met.

20

Cassie

“That’s enough,” said Bobby.

“Son, come on now. Don’t go near them,” warned Henry, grabbing Bobby’s arm. “You’ll get yourself hurt.”

Bobby looked up at him. “It’s okay, Henry. I’ve got this.”

Henry stared into the boy’s blue eyes, surprised at the level of understanding reflected there. “How in the world did you get here, boy?”

“Cassie’s grandparents,” he replied.

My grandparents!?

“Who’s this boy?” snarled Nora.

Ignoring her question, I swallowed the lump in my throat. “Where are they?”

“They’re in Nordstrom’s, getting Allie,” he replied and then smiled. “I’m supposed to be waiting in the car with Belinda. She fell asleep.”

The light from the hole intensified and Nora tightened her grip on my hair. “Enough of the chit-chat. Let’s finish this.”

“Please, just let me go,” I said, my teeth clenched. “I’m not the ‘Chosen One’. Seriously, I just made that up.”

“Oh, I’m about to let you go,” she replied, smiling darkly.

“Wait,” said Bobby, raising his hand. “Cassie is not the one you want.”

Nora’s eyebrows furrowed.

“Bobby!” hollered Bryce, now running toward us. He slowed down and stared at me in horror when he noticed what was happening. “Nora! What in the hell are you doing?”

“Who is this boy?” snapped Nora, holding the knife closer to my throat. “Tell me now or I’ll slice your throat open.”

“Let her go,” demanded Bobby, in a firm voice. “She doesn’t know.”

My mind was reeling a mile a minute. Bobby was so young and had Down’s Syndrome. He certainly wasn’t acting like himself.

Kristie and the girls all gasped in horror when they rounded the corner and saw what was happening.

“Tiny!” hollered Kristie, her face turning white.

Tiny walked around the corner, carrying a box of diapers and froze in place. “Oh shit, I forgot to warn them.”

“You forgot? How could you?” hissed Paige.

Tiny dropped what he was carrying and slowly walked over. “Okay,” he said, raising his hand. “Everyone needs to calm down. Nora, you’re dangerously close to that hole. You need to let Cassie go.”

“No, this is close,” she said as the tip of the knife pierced my skin.

“Let me go,” I begged, feeling the blood trickle down my neck. “Please don’t do this.”

“Oh, dear God,” cried Kristie. “Nora, honey, let her go!”

My eyes met Bryce’s, and for the first time since everything began, he looked frightened. “Wait,” he said, holding up both hands. “Don’t do this. Don’t hurt her.”

“Oh, how sweet,” said Nora. “You can join her if you’d like.”

Bobby’s eyes glittered as he took another step toward us. “It’s me that you seek, demon. Let her go.”

Nora eyed him curiously.

“No, Bobby!” I begged. “Please, just get away from us.”

A white light began emanating from his body.

“Bobby?” I whispered in awe.

“What do you know,” said Nora, her voice getting deeper. She pointed the knife at him. “It really is you.”

“Let her go and you can have me,” said Bobby, as the light became brighter.

“Bobby, no!” hollered Bryce, moving toward his brother.

“Stay back!” ordered Nora, pressing the tip of the knife into my neck again. I gasped in horror as more blood trickled down my shirt.

“Let her go,” demanded Bobby. “And you’ll get what you want.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Why would you offer yourself so easily for this… girl?”

“Because I love her,” he said. “I love all of them.”

My heart swelled. “I love you, too, Bobby.”

He smiled. “I know.”

Nora snorted. “Oh how pathetic you all are.”

“It’s him!” hollered Father Brambati, from out of nowhere. He raced toward us. “Can’t you feel it?”

“Of course I do, imbecile,” snapped Nora. “Nice of you to join the party.”

The priest stepped forward and stopped, staring at Bobby in fear.

Bobby shook his head sadly. “You chose the wrong path, but you can still be forgiven. All is not lost.”

“Don’t listen to him,” said Nora. “

The priest looked uncertain.

“Would you just grab him already?” demanded Nora.

Father Brambati took a hesitant step toward Bobby.

“Touch him and I’ll kick your ass,” hollered Bryce, taking a step toward the priest.

Just then, a bright reddish orange light rose out of the hole, blinding everyone momentarily. It was quickly followed by darkness and then a smell so foul, it made me gag.

“What is that horrible smell?” gasped Paige.

“Don’t look at me,” said Henry.

“The gate is open!” hollered Nora triumphantly. “He waits for the offering!”

A chorus of screeches echoed from inside of the hole and then rose to the top.

“Hey… watch out!” shouted Kristie, stepping backwards. “Here come those flying things again!”

Chaos erupted in the room as hundreds of winged creatures burst out of the pit, their screeches so loud, if felt like my ears were actually bleeding.

“Cassie!” shouted Bryce, moving toward us.

Seeing this, John got up and launched at Bryce. They tumbled to the ground with fists flying.

“Nora,” I pleaded as the flying beasts lunged after my friends. “Let me go. Resist Travis.”

“Good idea,” said Nora, releasing me. She reached out and grabbed Bobby, pulling him toward her. The warm light around him disappeared and she smiled.

“No!” I shouted, reaching for his other hand.

“If that’s the way you want it!” yelled Nora.

Before I could stop her, she swung around and with incredible strength, managed to shove all three of us into the abyss.

21

Cassie

I screamed in horror as we descended down the hole, mile after mile, in complete darkness. As we plummeted deeper and deeper, the air seemed to grow colder and soon… I lost hold of Bobby’s hand.

“Bobby!” I choked, flailing my arms.

He didn’t answer, nor did he scream.

Oh God, I’d failed him, I thought, consumed with grief. I didn’t care if he really was the Chosen One. To me, he was just Bobby – a sweet little boy who I’d grown to love and cherish. I cried as I thought about the first time we’d met and how we’d played games and watched movies together. He’d had so much fun and hadn’t stopped talking about it, even weeks after that first tragic night. And now, I’d failed to protect him and more than likely, the remaining apocalypse survivors.

I closed my eyes in despair and waited for an excruciating landing. Sure, the hole seemed infinite, but everything had an ending, and there was no doubt that mine was coming soon. And even worse, if Lucifer really was waiting at the bottom, I hoped to God that I wouldn’t have to see him.

All hope gone, I said a couple of prayers, especially for my sister and Bryce, and then I braced myself for the horrible impact, which was taking forever to come.

“Just get this over with!” I screamed into the darkness as I continued my descent into darkness. With every mile I fell, the more terrified I became. “I can’t take this anymore. Just let me die already…”

Then, out of nowhere, I felt Bobby’s hand touch mine.

22

Bryce

Bryce howled in anguish as he watched them go over the edge and into the hellish hole. The two people he cared about most in the world were now gone.

Sobbing, he lifted Father Brambati up by the collar and dragged him over to the pit. “You love this damn hole that much? Then have at it!”

The priest screamed in horror as Bryce shoved him over the edge.

“Don’t forget to pray for forgiveness, you asshole!” he hollered, watching the priest disappear into the darkness, screaming.

“Bryce, look out!” yelled Henry.

He looked up just as one of the winged creatures swooped toward him. Fueled by rage, he swung his fist up, knocking the small monster to the ground and cutting his hand. When it landed, he stomped on the creature’s head with the heel of his boot. He then turned and raced after another one, wanting to share the misery that was now burning a hole in his heart.

23

Cassie

After Bobby took my hand, the fear left my body and everything became surreal. He was once again surrounded by light, only this time, I was too.

Don’t be afraid. His lips weren’t moving and I knew he was in my head.

I’m not anymore.

I wasn’t sure if it was the light or the fact that he had my hand, but a warm calmness spread over me.

Focus on me.

Okay. It seemed to be working, and then I looked down and finally saw what was at the end of this abyss.

Hell.

It was exactly what I’d imagined it to look like with fire, brimstone, and a three-headed beast waiting for us with anticipation. As we grew closer, I shuddered, thinking the beast looked like some kind of messed up pit-bull with jaws sticking out of each muzzle and razor sharp nails protruding from his four paws. He was standing next to an open gate, and all three heads watched our descent, which had slowed until we were floating slowly.

Bobby squeezed my hand. Don’t let this scare you.

Too late, Bobby.

He smiled. You’re with me and they can’t hurt you.

They?

I followed his gaze and noticed another figure now standing next to the beast. Its body seemed to be made out of fire and its eyes were as black as death. The smile on its gloating face gave me the chills.

It’s just Travis. In his true form.

But what about Lucifer? I asked.

He’s here and all around us. But, I’m protecting you.

I looked into his eyes. What’s going to happen?

That’s not of your concern.

Are we going to die?

Death is life.

What about here?

Here, there is only suffering.

Crap.

He smiled. Your worries are for naught.

My eyes filled with tears. I’m sorry that I failed you.

You haven’t failed anyone.

Sure looks that way.

The three-headed beast let out an unearthly roar as we descended closer.

Bobby’s face became stern as he stared at the beings at the gate.

Bobby?

He turned back to me. You’re not going to remember anything else from here, as it would be too terrifying for you to handle.

Huh?

In answer, there was a blinding light that engulfed us. It was the last thing I remembered before I lost consciousness.

24

Allie

The kitchen timer went off, waking Allie, who’d fallen asleep in a tangle of shower curtains. She quickly shut it off and wondered if Cassie had found Kylie and Adria. Even more so, she wondered if Travis had found her. The fact that her sister hadn’t returned was a very bad sign.

Cassie will be fine, she told herself. She always pulls through these things.

Still terrified, but unable to sit still anymore, she grabbed the ax and walked timidly through the kitchen area until she reached an exit leading outside of the mall. When she saw that it was still dark outside, she frowned.

Had she slept longer than an hour? Why was it dark still?

“Allie!”

She froze. Was it Cassie? She couldn’t say for certain.

“I’m over here!” she hollered back, hoping at the last minute that she hadn’t given herself away to the bad people. With her luck, it would be one of Travis’s followers.

“Allie, where are you?”

She sucked in a breath. She knew that voice! “Grandma!?” she screamed, her heart pounding madly in her chest. “Grandma! Is that you?”

“Allie! I hear you! Where are you, honey?” called a second voice.

“Grandpa!” she hollered, seeing the top of his head by the coffeemakers. “I’m here!”

“Steve! She’s over by you somewhere!” yelled Irene, getting closer.

Her grandfather turned his head and his eyes filled with tears as he locked on to Allie. She ran over and flung herself into his arms.

“Oh, my God,” sobbed Allie, closing her eyes. “I’m so happy to see you.”

“Thank God you’re alive,” he replied in a husky voice, hugging her tightly. “We’ve been so worried!”

“Steve! Did you find her?”

Allie turned around just as her grandma rounded the corner. Overwhelmed with joy, she released him and charged after her.

“You’re really alive,” cried Irene, wrapping her arms around her. “We didn’t think we’d ever find you!”

“I was scared that nobody would come back for me,” said Allie, closing her eyes.

“Well, we’re here now, honey. And don’t worry, we won’t leave you.”

Allie stepped back and wiped her tears. “How did you find me?”

“Well, it’s kind of a long and crazy story,” she replied, wiping at her own tears. “I’ll tell you all about it once we find your sister.”

Allie’s lip began to tremble. “She never came back for me. I think something is wrong. Really wrong.”

Steve and Irene’s eyes met.

“We need to look for her,” said Allie.

“Where was she going?” asked Steve.

“Into the mall. To find Kylie and Adria,” said Allie. “Adria is…”

“We know,” said Irene, squeezing her shoulder. “She’s the one they believe is the ‘Chosen One’.”

Allie stared at her in shock. “How do you know about that?”

“Because we think we’ve met the real ‘Chosen One’, honey,” replied Irene. “Believe it or not.”

“There really is a ‘Chosen One’?”

Irene nodded.

“And we didn’t really believe him,” said Steve. “I mean, he’s just a little boy...”

“He’s definitely more than that,” said Irene, looking up at him. “This definitely proves it.”

“I’d say so,” he replied.

“Who is it?” asked Allie.

“Your friend, Bobby,” replied Irene.

Allie stared at her in shock. “Bryce’s little brother?”

“I guess so, although we’re finding that this little boy’s family tree stretches out much farther than him,” replied Irene with a small smile.

***

“Mom,” whispered Paige. “I think we should really get out of here. See what’s going on.”

“No, we should wait,” she whispered back. “Tiny saw us go in here. He’ll let us know if and when it’s safe. Besides,” she swallowed hard, “if Lucifer really made it into the mall, I certainly don’t want to run into him.”

“Crap, don’t say that,” said Paige, looking horrified. “If that happens, we’re all done.”

“That’s why I think we should just hang out here a little longer,” said Kristie. They were hiding in a hipster store, in one of the oversized dressing rooms.

Paige frowned.

“Do you think Bobby and Cassie are okay?” whispered Kylie.

Kristie sighed. “We can only hope. Bryce was there, though. I’m sure once those flying creatures started dive-bombing everyone, he took action. That guy has some mad karate skills.”

“But what if he couldn’t help them?” asked Paige, peeking out of the dressing room.

“Let’s not go there right now,” said Kristie, rubbing her forehead. “I don’t even want to think about that.”

“I’m sorry, mom, but I just can’t stay here anymore. I feel like we’re sitting ducks. I think it’s safer to move,” said Paige. “Rejoin the others. Safety in numbers, you know?”

Kristie groaned, wishing she had a cigarette. “I don’t know, Paige…”

Patting Adria’s back, Kylie burped her. She’d just finished a bottle of formula and was gurgling and content, oblivious to the horrors in the other parts of the mall. Fortunately, before the scene with Nora and Bobby, they’d found a shop that had baby supplies, including formula and diaper rash cream. “I’m kind of agreeing with Paige. We have to find out what happened,” said Kylie, wiping Adria’s mouth.

“Fine,” said Kristie, standing up. “I’ll go see what’s happening. You two stay in here until I get back.”

“Oh no,” said Kylie. “You’re not leaving us again. Every time someone says that, they go missing.”

“She’s right,” said Paige. “We need to stick together.”

Kristie sighed. “Okay, let’s go. But you girls do exactly what I say. When I say run, you don’t hesitate or ask questions. Got it?”

“Yep,” said Paige.

“Don’t worry,” replied Kylie. “I’ll be running.”

“Here, let me take Adria,” said Kristie. “And… find yourself a clean shirt, Kylie.”

Kylie looked down at her T-shirt. “Oh, yeah… I forgot about that.”

“Pee stains went out last season,” said Paige with a smirk. She walked out of the changing room and up to a rack of shirts. “Here,” she said, tossing her a T-shirt with a beagle puppy on the front. “This will work.”

Kylie ran back into the changing room and less than thirty seconds, came out wearing the clean shirt.

“We should come back here if we survive,” said Kristie, eyeing the racks of clothes. “They’ve got a lot of interesting stuff. Quite the mix.”

“Yeah, I just love this halter shirt,” replied Kylie, holding up a tie-dyed one. “What do you think, mom?”

“Too revealing for a girl your age,” she replied, eyeing a vintage purple and green scarf.

“I’ll wear a jacket with it,” said Kylie.

“Come on, you guys,” said Paige, leading the way out of the store. “No time for this.”

“Hey, don’t leave without us,” ordered Kristie. She glanced sideways at Kylie and lowered her voice. “I think she’s worried about Justice.”

“And Cassie,” replied Kylie, picking up the diaper bag.

“Yes, and Cassie,” said Kristie, snatching the scarf.

“Mom?” said Kylie, nodding toward the scarf.

She wrapped it around her neck. “If this is my last day on the planet, I may as get myself a parting gift.” She grabbed a beige knit-cap. “Here, I’ll take this for Paige. So she doesn’t feel left out.”

The corridors were quiet by the time they made it back to the center of the mall. When they reached the hole, they found Bryce and Henry, staring somberly into it.

Paige stopped and stared in horror. “What’s happened?”

Bryce turned toward her, his face filled with grief.

“Bryce?”

He shook his head and walked away.

“Nora pushed all three of them in,” mumbled Henry, his eyes watery. He removed his hat and hung his head low. “Just like that, they were gone.”

Kristie closed her eyes. “Oh, God.”

Paige backed away from the hole. “No… no, I don’t believe it!”

“It’s true,” said Henry. “I wish it weren’t.”

“Paige, honey, come here,” said Kristie, handing over Adria to Kylie. She then walked over to Paige and pulled her into her arms. “Oh, baby. I know she was your best friend.”

“I… I just can’t believe it,” said Paige in a muffled voice. “Cassie, Bobby, Nora, and Billie. All of them… gone.”

Kristie patted her on the back, her own tears running down her cheeks. “I know, I can’t believe it.”

“Someone has to find Allie,” said Kylie, staring at the hole in despair. She turned to them. “She needs to know.”

“Tiny and Justice went to go search for her,” said Bryce in a hollow voice. “She’s supposed to be at Nordstrom’s.”

“She’s going to be heartbroken,” said Kristie. She wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand. “That poor kid.”

“Bryce, I’m so sorry about Bobby,” said Henry. “I almost thought that…”

“What?” asked Bryce.

“That he had some kind of power. That he could stop what was happening,” he replied.

“You mean that he was the ‘Chosen One’? Well, I can assure you, he was just a little boy. A sweet little kid that didn’t deserve to die,” said Bryce.

Henry nodded. “Seems you’re right. Looks like that was all talk.”

Kristie released Paige and then walked over to the hole. She stared down into it. “The worst thing is, that it was all for naught. They all died in vain.”

“Yes, but there is one thing we can agree on,” said Paige. “That Travis was a demon and he was responsible for all of this.”

“We can’t argue that,” said Kristie. “That certainly wasn’t Nora doing those things. She had to have been possessed.”

Bryce didn’t answer.

“What’s going on?”

They all turned to find Belinda walking toward them holding a gun. Her blond hair was sticking out of her ponytail and there was mascara under her eyelashes.

“Belinda,” said Henry, moving toward her. “Thank goodness you’re okay.”

“I’ve been better. What in God’s name is that?” she said, staring at the hole.

“It’s a hole to Hell,” said Henry.

Her jaw dropped. “What? You’ve got to be kidding?”

“He’s right,” said Kristie. “At least that’s what we think it is.”

“Then it is true… everything he said.” She stared pensively into the distance and scratched the side of her head. “Have any of you seen Bobby?”

Bryce opened his mouth and then turned his head away, overwhelmed with emotion.

“He took off on me,” she said, her eyes filling with tears. “Dammit, I’d fallen asleep and he snuck out. I’m so sorry, Bryce. I feel horrible.”

Kristie walked to Belinda and put an arm around her. “We need to talk.”

“Uh, sure. Did you see him?” she asked.

Bryce nodded. “Yes.”

As Kristie began explaining what had happened, the ground under their feet began to shake.

“What’s happening?” hollered Belinda.

A bright red light poured out of the hole and they all rushed back from the hole.

“What’s happening?” asked Kylie, crying.

A rush of fire and lava spewed up from the hole’s depths, filling the circle completely.

“Look,” gasped Paige, pointing toward the molten bubbles.

A giant face, its lips twisting in rage, appeared before them in the flames. Two horns protruded from the beast’s head, its eyes were pitch black, and it had a forked tongue, which slid out of its mouth, licking the earth.

“Mommy!” screamed Kylie, terrified.

Kristie, in shock, pushed Kylie and Adria behind her, shielding them from the horror.

Giant fingers made of fire grasped the edge of the hole as the beast struggled to raise itself up. As its shoulders began to rise above the edge, a bright white light sprang out from beneath the demon.

“Let’s get out of here!” hollered Bryce, backing away.

The beast roared in anger as it struggled to free itself from the hole, but the light became brighter, now filling the room. “No…!” it growled.

Henry grabbed Paige, who was frozen in shock. “Get back!”

“Look!” pointed Paige, staring up at the ceiling.

A beam of light from above shot down and hit the demon in the head. It screamed in anguish and was pushed down into the hole, along with the fire.

“Whoa!” said Kylie, peeking around Kristie.

As the beam of light continued to pour into the hellish abyss, there was an ear-splitting rumble from deep inside.

Henry walked over and stared over the edge. He gasped. “I think it’s filling, by golly!”

“Let me see!” said Kylie.

“No, don’t stay back,” replied Bryce. “You too, Henry. Get back.”

Henry backed up and they all watched in stunned silence as the hole began to close in on itself, with granite and rocks rising from the core.

“It really is closing!” cried Kristie, her eyes transfixed.

When the hole was completely filled, everything became silent and the earth grew still.

“What in the hell just happened?” asked Belinda.

“Bobby,” said Paige, turning to her. “I think it was Bobby.”

“What do you mean?” asked Belinda.

“Bobby and Cassie were pulled into the hole,” said Bryce, in a husky voice.

Belinda’s eyes filled with tears. She smiled sadly. “He did it. He succeeded. Just like he said he would.”

Bryce nodded and wiped his face.

She walked to him and gave him a hug. “He loved you so much, you know,” she whispered. “So much. So did Cassie.”

He let out a choked sob.

She stepped away from him and touched his cheek. “Bryce, honey, this was his destiny. It was his calling.”

“As the ‘Chosen One’?” he asked, his lips trembling.

She nodded. “Yes. When he told me, I didn’t want to believe it. I loved that little boy, Bryce. I really did. But, he has always known that this would be his fate. He’s known it his entire life.”

Bryce cleared his throat and sniffed. “He did?

“Yes, and he was so proud and honored. You could see it in his eyes when he told me.”

“What about Cassie?” asked Paige, staring at the fresh dirt in the center of the mall. “Was this always her destiny, too?”

Belinda sighed. “Maybe. I don’t know.”

“What happened to the hole?!” hollered Allie, rushing down the escalator followed by her grandparents.

“Oh hell,” said Henry, rubbing a hand over his face.

Kristie wiped the tears from her face and walked toward Allie. “Honey, we need to talk to you.”

Allie froze and looked around. “Where’s my sister?”

“What’s happened?” asked Steve, stopping next to Allie.

“Where’s Cassie?!” squeaked Allie, seeing the looks of horror on everyone’s faces. She turned to Bryce. “Where is she?”

“She’s gone,” said Kristie, pulling her into her arms. “I’m so sorry, honey.”

“What do you mean?” she asked, pulling away to look into her face.

Kristie licked her lips and smiled sadly. “She was pulled into the hole. With Bobby and Nora.”

“Oh, my God,” gasped Irene, her eyes filling with tears.

“The hole? Where is it?” asked Steve, looking toward the fresh dirt.

Henry walked over and explained what had happened while Kristie held Allie, trying to console her.

“And then it closed up,” said Henry. “It was a miracle, though. Whether it was Bobby or God himself, the damn thing closed up and it’s gone.”

Steve wrapped his arms around Irene and they held each other, mourning quietly.

“Has anyone seen Justice or Tiny?” asked Paige.

Allie shook her head.

“No,” sniffled Irene. She cleared her throat. “We found Allie and haven’t run into anyone else.”

“I’ll go look for them,” said Bryce. “I need to get out of here for a while.”

“I’ll come with you,” said Henry, picking up his gun.

“Me too,” said Paige.

“Paige -,” said Kristie.

“Mom, quit coddling me,” she cut in. “I’m not a baby.”

“Just like Cassie used to say,” said Allie sadly.

Kristie swore under her breath. “Fine. Just be careful. We’ve lost enough already.”

“I know,” said Paige, following Bryce and Henry.

“Oh hell, let’s follow them. There’s no reason to wait here anymore,” said Kristie.

“Speaking of babies,” said Kylie, holding Adria. “Can someone take her for a while? My arm is killing me.”

Irene stepped forward. “Sure, I’ll take her. So, this is the one everyone thought was the ‘Chosen One’?”

Kylie handed her  over. “Yes.”

Irene stared down into the baby’s face. “Poor thing. This must have been a horrible experience for her.”

“She did really good,” said Kylie. “I can’t believe it.”

“What’s her name?” asked Steve.

Kylie smiled sadly. “Her name is Adria. Adria Cassandra Wild.”

Allie wiped her tears and smiled. “You’re naming her after Cassie?”

Kylie smiled back. “Yes. That way you’ll always still have part of your sister. The Wild One.”

“Even in death, Cassie will always be a part of your life,” said Irene. “You can count on that, Allie.”

Allie hugged her. “I know.”

25

Cassie

Bobby?

Yes.

Where are we? Why is it still so dark?

Open your eyes.

I opened them and blinked in confusion. To say that it was not at all what I expected was an understatement.

“Bobby!” I hollered, looking around in astonishment.

Instead of where I thought I’d still be, in the fiery pit of Hell, I was in a lush green meadow, with flowers, blue skies, and birds chirping in the distance.

Have I died?

Technically, yes.

I certainly didn’t feel any different. “Where are you?” I yelled, twirling around.

“Sorry,” he replied, stepping around me.

“Don’t sneak up on me like that!” I gasped, still pretty freaked out. “This is… where are we?”

“Where do you think?” he asked with a twinkle in his eye.

I looked around again and smiled. “I don’t know… this place is unreal. I mean, it’s kind of taking my breath away, now that I think about it. It’s just so beautiful and perfect. Like paradise.”

“It should take your breath away, Cassie. It’s your idea of Heaven.”

My eyes widened. “Am I in Heaven?”

“Not exactly,” he turned. “Look behind you.”

I turned around and was stunned to see a glittery golden bridge leading to a rainbow of beautiful lights.

“Beyond that rainbow you’ll find the real Heaven.”

Tears came to my eyes. I placed a hand to my lips as a rush of emotions spread through me. It was as if I could actually feel the love emanating from the other side of the bridge. It was strong. Comforting. Exhilarating. Yearning to get closer, I took a step toward it.

“Wait,” said Bobby touching my arm.

Reluctantly, I turned back to look at him. On the outside, he still looked like Bryce’s little brother, but I was now aware that he was so much more. Brother, son, protector, and the one who had been chosen to outwit Lucifer on earth. “Who are you, really?” I asked.

His eyes softened. “I am someone that God chose to teach Lucifer that he is powerless. That he will always lose in the end as will those who fall under his spell.”

My lips curled up. “Because good always conquers evil?”

“Yes.”

“So, he chose you for this lesson?”

“Yes, but I would have volunteered, wholeheartedly.”

I stared at him in awe. “Are you the son of God, like Jesus?”

“In a way, we are all his children.”

“Are you an angel?”

“Let’s just say that I am a very old… soul. Although you know me as a young boy, I’m…” he began to change before my eyes, until he stood as full-grown man, possibly in his twenties. He kind of reminded me of Bryce, only his hair was long and he had a beard. “Whomever I decide to be.”

“Travis kept calling you the ‘Chosen One’.”

“And I am. But not who he thought I was. He thought I was the second coming of Christ.”

“But you weren’t?”

He shook his head. “No. Nobody knows when that will happen. Only God, and he certainly won’t give it away to Lucifer.”

“Was Travis and Lucifer really responsible for the zombies?”

“Travis was sent to Earth by Lucifer, because somehow he believed that the ‘End of Days’ would be soon upon us. Travis tampered with the vaccine, turning people into, what you call, zombies.”

“What about Father Brambati?”

“A bad man who Travis was able to manipulate into helping him. Nothing else.”

“So, they weren’t like… the Unholy Trinity or anything?”

Bobby sighed. “No, they may have believed that they were, but that particular prophecy hasn’t begun yet. At least, not that I’m aware of. If they were, they probably would have gotten much farther in their mischief.”

“What about the earthquakes and red rivers?”

“I believe that Lucifer played a hand in that as well. Trying to draw out the child of God.”

“So, they wanted to destroy you because they thought that you were part of the prophecy that would finally destroy Lucifer forever?”

“That about sums it up,” he said. “Unfortunately, many lives were taken. But things will get better. The sun will rise and nature will be restored now. Your life will get back on track.”

I sighed and looked back to the bridge. “Speaking of which, you told me to wait. Why?”

His face became serious. “Because it’s not your time.”

“You’re saying that I’m going back?”

“The truth is, you’re needed now more than ever back on Earth.”

“Me? Why me?” I asked, almost disappointed. The pull to go over the bridge and see everything, was so strong that I felt a sudden sense of loss.

“To rebuild and help the other survivors start over.”

“You mean help clean up the zombies?”

He nodded. “Yes. There are also those who you’ve met along the way who need you now more than ever. Those whose hearts you’ve touched and are counting on your return.”

An image of Allie, frightened and hiding, made me sad. Then there was Kallie, the little girl at the orphanage. And Goldie…

“Okay. I understand.”

He smiled.

I cleared my throat. “Uh, so how does this work? Do I click my heels and say ‘there’s no place like home’ three times?”

“Funny. No, it’s much simpler. There is one more thing, however.”

“What?”

He looked over my head and smiled.

I turned around and screamed with joy.

My parents.

I flew forward and threw myself into their arms, crying.

“Oh, sweetheart,” said my dad, kissing the top of my head. “We’re both so proud of you.”

Although we were hugging, it was different. Not quite the same as back home. Our physical bodies were gone but I could still feel the warmth of their love, in the form of what I could only describe as some kind of energy.

“I’ve missed you guys, so much,” I said, loving them more than ever.

“We know,” replied my mom. “But what you didn’t know is that we’ve been with you. Watching and supporting you.”

“You have?”

“Yes. And like your father said, we’ve been so very proud of you. Looking after your sister, standing up for what you believe in. Caring for your friends.”

“Thanks.” I smiled sadly. “I guess I have to leave here soon.”

My mother, who looked more youthful and vibrant than ever, smiled back. “Yes, honey, but you’ll be back. Some day.”

“Yeah, but I kind of wish that I could stay. I mean, I know what Bobby said, but it’s so hard…”

“Once you return to Earth, you’ll be glad that you did,” said my dad, who’d lost the gray wisps and the lines on his face from all of the stress. “They need you down there, Wild One, and your adventure isn’t over yet.”

“I just miss you guys… and,” I turned to look at the bridge. “I really want to cross that bridge.”

“Of course you do,” said my mom. “And some day you will. Right now, however, you have some other bridges that need to be traveled.”

Images of Bryce flashed through my brain.

I smiled.

“Stay honest and true,” said my mother. “And above all else, don’t give up on the others. No matter how discouraging things may seem, don’t ever give up on fighting for what’s right.”

“Stay strong, honey,” said my dad, backing away. “We love you.”

“Wait,” I cried, as my mother backed away too. “Can’t we just be together a little longer? Please? I’ve missed you both so much.”

“We’ll be with you,” said my dad, taking my mother’s hand. “And someday, we’ll be back to accompany you over that bridge.”

Before I could respond, they both disappeared.

Wiping tears from my face, I spun around, looking for Bobby. Instead, I was caught with yet another surprise.

Nora and Billie.

They were standing on the bridge, holding hands and smiling at me.

Relieved that they were okay and together at last, I raised my hand and waved.

They both waved back.

“It’s time,” said Bobby.

I turned and found him standing in the grass again. I laughed. “You really have to quit doing that!”

He smiled. “Sorry.”

My smile fell. “Are you coming with me?”

He shook his head. “That particular adventure ran its course. You must go back alone.”

“But what about Bryce? He’s going to miss his little brother dearly.”

His eyes softened. “He’ll be fine. You’ll help him pull through it.”

“Can I tell him about you?”

“Of course. That’s why you’re going back. To enlighten others. Give them hope and tell them to live humbly.”

“Humbly? Even Henry?”

He chuckled. “Yes, even that Old Cowboy.”

“Okay.”

He suddenly looked troubled.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“You need to wake up.”

My eyes widened. “What?”

“Wake up. Quickly!” he hollered as everything went black.

26

Cassie

When I opened my eyes, I found myself in the parking lot of the mall, near Nordstrom’s. Surrounding me, were dozens of zombies. Unfortunately, these ones were not ignoring me.

“Really?” I asked, looking up at the stars. “You couldn’t have put me in a safer place?

A star twinkled in the distance. Obviously, those upstairs were not too worried.

“Okay, so you’ve got me covered.”

I quickly got up and began backing away as they approached me, growling and drooling hungrily. Fortunately, there were only about thirty of them, which was much better odds than earlier. Too bad I didn’t have a weapon.

“Crap.”

“Hey!” hollered a man’s voice, banging something loud behind me.

I turned to find Rob beating a metal garbage can cover with a hammer. Next to him were Mac and Carolyn, both holding weapons. I sighed in relief.

“I see you lost the ax!” yelled Mac, smiling grimly. “Guess we got here just in time.”

“I haven’t lost it, I gave it to my little sister,” I replied kicking a zombie in the face and sending him flying. I quickly turned and snapped a side-kick to the chin of another zombie, knocking him backwards.

“Good move,” said Mac, smiling as he began swinging his machete.

“Watch out, Carolyn!” I yelled as another zombie approached her from behind. He was so tall that he made her look like a dwarf.

She turned and gasped, then fired a single shot from her revolver, hitting the zombie in the head.

“Don’t waste your bullets,” said Rob, slamming his hammer into another zombie.

“Did you see the size of that one?” she shouted. “I couldn’t reach his neck if I was on a stepstool.”

“Always an excuse,” said Rob. “Good thing you have a list hidden somewhere so you don’t use the same one twice.”

“Men,” said Carolyn, flipping him off. From the little smirk on her face, I could tell that their relationship was almost as interesting as mine and Bryce’s.

“Cassie!” shouted Tiny.

I turned to find him and Justice jogging out of the Nordstrom’s. As soon as they got near, they started helping clear the zombies. When most of them were finished off, Tiny rushed over and gave me a hug, lifting me off of the cement.

“Girl, you gave us all a scare! Where in the hell have you been?”

“Long story,” I said when he put me down.

“Where’s Bobby?” asked Justice.

I sighed. “He’s gone.”

Tiny’s expression was somber. “Dammit, are you sure?” he asked, struggling with words.

“Yes. But, he’s not suffering, and I guess you could say, he always knew his fate,” I replied.

“He was the ‘Chosen One’ for real, wasn’t he?” asked Justice.

“He certainly was.”

“What happened to Nora?” asked Justice.

“Travis took possession of her body and she didn’t make it either,” I replied.

Justice shook his head. “Damn, what a nightmare.”

“Yeah, but I think the worst is over,” I said.

“Let’s hope so,” said Justice.

“Bryce is going to be heartbroken,” said Tiny. “He loved that boy so much.”

“I know,” I replied. “Uh, where is he?”

“Don’t know,” said Justice. “Those bat creatures flew out of the hole again and we split up. Tiny and I killed most of them and then decided to get Allie, since she was all alone.”

“Did you find her?” I asked.

“No,” said Tiny, looking grim.

“Crap.” I turned to Carolyn. “A young girl in her early teens didn’t show up at the restaurant, did she?”

“No. Nobody did. The only reason we came out here was because of this asshole in a white pickup started firing at the bar,” said Mac. “We decided that he needed to go.”

I raised my eyebrows. “Did you kill him?”

“That’s not an easy answer. Something crazy happened and I don’t know if you’ll believe it, but… the truck disappeared,” said Rob.

“You mean he took off again?” I asked.

“No, the entire truck disappeared. Into thin air,” said Carolyn. “Like ‘poof’.”

I bit my lower lip. “Believe it or not, it’s not as crazy as it may sound. There’s been a lot of weird stuff happening today. I’m talking weirder than zombies.”

“Damn right,” said Tiny.

“Where are Kristie and the girls?” I asked.

“They’re hiding in some clothing store. We should get back there,” said Tiny.

“You see Belinda’s car parked anywhere?” I asked, remembering what Bobby had said about her bringing him to the mall.

“That it?” asked Carolyn, pointing toward a black Sierra truck parked near the ramp.

“No,” I replied, thinking it looked familiar though. “But it almost looks like my grandparents’. Oh, my God! Maybe they’re here!” I started walking toward the truck. “I think that’s their license plate, but I can’t say for sure.”

“Wait for me,” said Justice, following me.

“Hey, are you Tiny the wrestler?” asked Rob, as they began walking with us.

Tiny grinned. “I guess you could say that I was.”

Rob held out his hand. “My son is one of your biggest fans. Hell, now he probably is your biggest fan now that there’s hardly anyone left.”

“You may be right,” said Tiny, shaking it. “Your boy okay?”

“Yep, thank God. They’re back at the restaurant. You guys want to join us for a drink and some food, you’re welcome to,” said Rob.

“We might take you up on that,” said Tiny. “After we round the rest of our group up.”

“We planning on going back to Atlanta?” asked Justice.

“Yeah,” I replied, stopping in front of the truck. “I’ve got some things that I need to take care of. You know, I think this really might be my grandparents’’!”

“Maybe they have Allie,” said Justice.

“I hope so. Let’s go back inside the mall and take a look around,” I said.

“We’re going back to the restaurant now that we know you’re safe,” said Rob. “Like I said, stop on over before you leave. We’ve been talking it over and are starting to think it might be better if we joined up with your group.”

“It would be a good idea,” I said. “With all of the looting and crime happening, the good guys are safer in numbers.”

“Hey, it’s Bryce,” said Justice, looking past me.

I turned around to see Bryce walking out of the entrance to Nordstrom’s. He stopped in his tracks, staring at me. The look on his face was of shock and disbelief.

“Cassie!” screamed Allie, running around him and toward me. In the distance I could see my grandparents walking with Kristie, Paige, and Kylie.

I ran, meeting Allie halfway. “Oh, thank God!” I cried, wrapping my arms around her. “I thought something may have happened to you.”

“They said you were dead,” she cried, tears running down her face.

“You were,” said Bryce, in an accusing tone. He stopped next to us. “You were. I saw you fall into the hole with Bobby.”

I stepped away from Allie and put my arms around him. He was rigid and stiff. “Bryce…”

“No,” he said, pushing me away. “I saw you fall! This has to be some kind of illusion or trick.”

I grabbed his hand and put it to my cheek. “It’s me, Bryce. I swear to God. I’m not Travis or anyone else. I know what this looks like, but I’m telling you the truth.”

He looked into my eyes and I could tell he wanted to believe, but was too frightened.

“I love you,” I whispered, kissing the inside of his palm. “I have ever since that first moment you pissed me off during sparring, and I kicked your arrogant ass.”

His face crumpled. He pulled me into his arms. “Cassie,” he choked. “Thank God. I thought I’d lost you.”

“Haven’t you learned yet that it’s not that easy to kill me?” I said, holding him tightly.

He snorted.

“I think this proves that I can pull my own weight,” I said. “Although, I shouldn’t take the credit this time. Bobby saved my life.”

“Bobby?”

I nodded.

“Where is he?” he asked, pulling away. He looked around. “Bobby?!”

“He had to stay, Bryce,” I said softly. “He was never meant to come back.”

He clenched his jaw. “No.”

“Yes,” I said, caressing the side of his face. I stared up into his eyes. “He sent me back to explain everything and to make sure that we had another chance. But, he didn’t suffer and he knew that this was his destiny. He knew it all along.”

The grief in his eyes broke my heart.

I pulled the back of his neck so our heads were together. “He saved the world, you know,” I whispered. “You should be very proud of him.”

“I am,” he choked. I could feel his chest convulsing as he began to cry. “I am so proud of him. I just wish I would have told him that more often.”

I looked up into the sky and saw a shooting star. I smiled. “He knows how you feel, Bryce. He knows.”

27

One Year Later

Cassie

“Don’t answer it,” whispered Bryce. “Maybe they’ll go away.”

We were lying in our hotel room, snuggling and goofing around. Now that most of the zombies had either died of starvation or execution, and nature had been restored, we were able to forget about the past for a while and enjoy the present.

“It could be Allie,” I whispered back, pushing him away. I slid out of bed and grabbed my robe, thinking of my sister, who although was just down the hall, I still couldn’t help but miss. Since our wedding, I’d moved in with Bryce while she and Adria had moved in with Kristie and Tiny. There were times when I felt guilty about the living arrangements, but Kristie said it was for the best, and that Allie was still young and needed a little more guidance, which I definitely understood. I was newly married, I’d just turned nineteen, and I knew that trying to parent a new teen would be a challenge. Especially my sister. Apparently, we were both handfuls.

“That didn’t sound like her knock,” he said, staring at me from the bed. “Hers is usually a frantic pounding.”

“True.” My eyes lit up. “Hey, maybe it’s my grandparents?” They’d left for Texas a week before, to gather my cousin Victoria and then go in search of my aunt and uncle, along with my other grandmother, Judy. We still weren’t sure if they were alive, and although I’d desperately wanted to go with them, I wasn’t exactly in the right condition for a road trip.

“You look beautiful. Don’t cover up.”

I stared down at my pregnant stomach and sighed. “You’re just saying that because you think it’s a boy in this bubble.”

His eyes softened. “It has to be a boy.”

I flipped my hair over my shoulder. “Why do you keep saying that?”

“My mother always told me that baby girls take away their mother’s looks when they’re pregnant, but you’re more beautiful than ever.”

“Okay, now you’re just saying that so we’ll finish what we started,” I said, blushing as his eyes appraised the parts of me not covered by the robe.

He smiled seductively. “I didn’t even think about that, but I’m all for finishing what we started.”

I rolled my eyes and walked, or rather waddled to the door.

“I need your help,” whispered Paige, smiling sheepishly when I the door open.

I stared down at the two gowns she held in her hands. “What are those for?”

Her eyebrows shot up. “You didn’t hear?”

“No, what?”

“There’s going to be a prom! Next Friday.”

“What?”

“Since there are so many high school kids who’d missed it last year, the council has decided to hold a prom, to try and make life a little more… normal.”

The council, which included Tiny and Kristie, was a small group of survivors who’d been voted into decision-making positions for our ever-expanding “bunker.” After moving back to Atlanta, more and more people had showed up at the hotel, until it had become obvious that we needed some kind of leadership. I’d thought that Kristie and Tiny had been the perfect candidates and had been ecstatic when they’d been chosen as part of the council.

“That’s great!” I said, looking at the two gowns. “Uh, let me guess, you’re going with Justice?”

She smiled. “Yes. You should see the tux that we picked out for him. He looks so hot,” she gushed. “Now I can’t wait to see what it looks like off of him.”

My jaw dropped. “Paige!”

She smirked. “Not that I haven’t already.”

I gasped. “You didn’t!”

She nodded and then squealed. “Last night… oh, my God, it was so...”

“Ahem! I hear you and I’m pretty sure the neighbors can too!” hollered Bryce.

I tried to keep a straight face. “I like the blue one,” I said, changing the subject.

“I like that one too,” she said, blushing.

“Good. Now, I’ve got to get back to Bryce or he’s going to start getting cranky.”

“Oh, and we both know how intolerable that can be. Have you thought of feeding him? I hear that works.”

I smiled.

“I heard that, too!” hollered Bryce.

“He already knocked you up,” she snorted. “Tell him to stop taking Henry’s Viagra.”

Bryce walked around the corner of the door. “Excuse me,” he said, scowling. “This guy,” he pointed toward his chest. “Needs no help in that area.”

“Obviously what you do need is a cold shower,” said Paige. “All little jokes aside,” she said with a wry smile. “Are you guys going to the prom?”

I looked up at Bryce, who was still glowering. “Hmm… well, I never did get to go ours.”

He relaxed. “You want to?” he asked, turning to me. “Because I’d be more than happy to take you.”

I looked down at my stomach. “Yes, but I doubt we’ll be able to find a dress that fits.”

“Not a problem,” said Paige. “You just need to tell me what color you want and Belinda said she’d help make you a dress.”

I winced. “Belinda?”

She smiled. “Relax, you’re pregnant. She can’t make it too… vulgar looking.”

“Okay, but make sure it’s not animal print. Please,” I said, remembering how much Belinda obsessed over leopard patterns. I loved Belinda, but where she liked revealing tops and skin-tight pants, I wanted things covered up, especially now that I was curvy in places I’d never been before. Even my rear looked like two water balloons.

“Oh I don’t know,” said Bryce. “I wouldn’t mind seeing you in something tight and sassy.”

I elbowed him in the stomach. “Not going to happen.”

He grunted. “Dang, woman.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll definitely make sure that she doesn’t go that route,” said Paige.

“Cool. Speaking of Belinda, how’s Kallie been doing?” I asked. “I haven’t seen her that much lately.”

Paige smiled. “Great. Belinda spoils the crap out of her.”

“Good,” I said, smiling in relief. “I’m glad. I felt bad that she couldn’t stay with us….”

“Kallie understands, and to be honest, I think that she adores Belinda. It was the best thing for both of them. Don’t sweat it.”

After bringing Kallie back from the monastery, it was decided that taking care of her on my own was too much of a responsibility. So, after a couple of months, she moved into Belinda’s hotel room, followed by Allie going to Kristie’s. For now, it was just Bryce and me, until the new baby arrived.

“Good.”

“Okay, bye, Paige,” said Bryce, waving as he tried pulling me back into our room.

“Pink or blue?” asked Paige. ‘What color should I tell her you’d like?”

“Green!” I hollered as he slammed the door.

“Jerk,” mumbled Paige through the door.

“What’d she say?” he asked.

I pulled him toward the bed. “She said ‘sure’.”

He smirked. “Right.”

***

Unfortunately, we missed the prom, only because our son arrived an hour before the festivities. It was a long labor, but when I held him in my arms for the first time, all of the pain, the agony, and my profanity were pretty much forgotten. At least on my part. Bryce, on the other hand, would probably never look at me the same after the names I’d called him.

“He looks like you,” I said, staring at his scrunched up face.

“Damn right. He’s a handsome little dude,” said Bryce, sitting next to me by the bed. “What did you expect?”

“I guess I should expect cockiness and a little attitude when he’s older, too?”

“Don’t forget impulsive and stubborn,” he replied with a smirk. “Just like mom.”

“Crap, we’re in trouble, aren’t we?”

“Was there ever a doubt after seeing the plus sign?”

I giggled. “No, not really.”

There was a soft knock at the door.

“Come in,” said Bryce.

It opened and Henry peeked his head around the corner. “Is it safe now?”

“Yeah, she’s all out of cuss words,” said Bryce.

“Oh hell, I could have given her more to use,” he replied, holding his Stetson in his hands. “My… look at that little whippersnapper. He’s a good looking boy.”

“Thanks, Henry,” I said.

“Where is everyone?” asked Henry.

“They’re coming soon,” said Bryce.

Kristie and Belinda had left me after several intense hours of labor, helping me through the delivery. They were going to clean up and bring the girls in to see the baby.

“You should be mighty proud,” said Henry.

“Oh, I am,” said Bryce.

“Of your wife, too,” said Henry, smiling down at me “You’re a lucky man.”

Bryce took my hand and squeezed it. “I know, and how could I not be proud? She’s given me everything that I could have ever wanted.”

My eyes filled with tears. “Thank you, Bryce.”

He leaned down. “Told you it was a boy,” said Bryce, kissing his son’s forehead. “Never doubt me again, woman.”

I rolled my eyes.

“What’cha going to name him?” asked Henry.

I smiled down at the precious bundle in my arms. “Robert David De Luca,” I said. “Bobby for short, of course.”

“I think you’ve got another Wild One on your hands,” said Henry, as little Bobby began to scrunch up his fists and cry for his meal.

Bryce smiled proudly. “Henry, I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

The End

Dear Reader,

I hope you enjoyed this series. It was fun to create and to tell you the truth, I had no idea where I wanted to take it until the final two books. Yes, I threw in something unexpected, mainly because I’ve found that many zombie tales are just strictly about killing as many undead as you can and surviving. So, I decided to go with a religious aspect and I’m sure that none of you saw that coming.  Neither did I until somewhere near the end of book four...

What can I say? I love shocking people with my books and you’ll find a lot of twists and turns with the many others I’ve written as well. This is probably the only series that I have involving religion (in case you were wondering). I hope you’ll check some of my other work out (I have a lot of free ebooks listed under Kristen Middleton, K.L. Middleton, and Cassie Alexandra).

Also, many people have asked me if I have anything against vaccinations. No, I most certainly do not. My children have been vaccinated and so have I. If you recall in the very first book I mentioned an UNTESTED vaccine was given for the flu. Those were the people who turned into zombies. Mind you, I would definitely have something against an untested vaccine. I do know that there are people very much opposed to getting flu vaccinations and even believe that it messes with the immune system, so I hinted at that as well. To be honest, I don’t know one way or another, but I am not a risk taker and have gotten my shots.

Once again, thank you for reading the entire series and if you have a few seconds, I would be honored if you could leave a review. Especially if you enjoyed this little adventure.

Xx

Kristen Middleton
www.kristenmiddleton.com

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Amazon Author Page

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Table of Contents

- Origins
- Running Wild
- Hope For A Happy Ending
- Dead Endz
- Road Kill
- End Zone