Darlings of Decay

by Chrissy Peebles

  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 y’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.

  “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.

  “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 their just plain 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. “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 towards 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 towards 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 towards 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…”

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  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.

  “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 out 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 towards 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 if 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, sim
ilar 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 - Zombie Games (Running Wild)

  Now Available!

  For more information on Kristen Middleton’s books, please visit her website –

  www.kristenmiddleton.com

  Chrissy Peebles

  The Zombie Chronicles

  Apocalypse Infection Unleashed Series

  by

  Chrissy Peebles

  Copyright 2012 by Chrissy Peebles http://www.chrissypeebles.blogspot.com

  Cover design by: Patrick Griffith

  Edited by: Autumn J. Conley

  The Zombie Chronicles Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/ociUHiL1g70

  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Chrissy-Peebles/351121651567296

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

  ***

  Chapter 1

  One year earlier…

  It had been a long day in July, with heat waves rampaging throughout South Carolina. Even though nighttime had long fallen and the temperatures had cooled down noticeably, my shirt still stuck to my back. I wondered what good that shower had done that I’d taken before meeting Sherry.

  A rush of wind blew through my hair as we rode to the top of the Ferris wheel and then stopped, hovering in midair. I breathed in, relaxed, and listened to the distant screams, music, and laughter echo below us. Sherry set down the stuffed pink pig I’d won for her in the ring toss and folded her hands in her lap, enjoying the silence. I dared a quick look at the stuffed animal, fighting with myself whether to be proud or sink into the ground. The guys back at school surely would’ve suggested the latter, but I didn’t care. Granted, it wasn’t the giant teddy bear I’d spent twenty bucks trying to win, but Sherry seemed happy with her little plush pink prize nonetheless. She squeezed my hand, and I smiled.

  I rocked the cart back and forth with my legs.

  “Hey! Stop it,” Sherry said, twining her fingers through my hair.

  “But you told me you loved it when somebody shook the cart at the very top. And I do too. Love that adrenaline rush.”

  She smiled and batted her lashes at me. Her whole demeanor screamed flirty, so I inched closer and wrapped my arm around her to pull her closer. “Do you want to play games or make out?” she whispered suggestively.

  Her eyes sparkled like big onyxes as I gazed into them. We had liked each other for months, and we’d been shamelessly stealing glances at each other until I finally plucked up the courage to ask her out. It was our first big date, and I’d been dying to kiss her all night. “What do you think?” I asked with a smile.

  She inclined her head as though in thought.

  That same moment, a piercing scream echoed from below us. Forgetting our first intimate moment, I peered below into the darkness to the gathering mass.

  “What’s going on down there?” Sherry asked.

  “I dunno.” I squinted to get a better view, but the steel rods of the Ferris wheel blocked most of my view from where we were dangling. All I could make out were red and blue lights flashing in the distance, blinking in rhythm to the sound of blaring sirens. I leaned out until I could count five police cars speeding toward the midway.

  “What’s happening?” Sherry asked again, this time more quietly, as though she was talking to herself.

  I paid her no attention as I continued to scan the commotion below. A man tumbled to the ground. The same moment, a group of people pounced on him. From up above, they looked like they were attacking him with their bare arms and legs.

  Sherri grabbed my shoulder and gave it a hard squeeze to get my attention. “Oh my gosh, Dean! I think a gang of thugs are attacking the people in line.”

  I shook my head. It can’t be. We lived in a family tourist town, its biggest crimes consisting of kids pick-pocketing sweets from the local supermarket and old ladies complaining about Friday night litter on their porches; the crime rate was so low that misdemeanors made the front page. I couldn’t even remember the last time there’d been a public beating or any kind of vicious attack. “Maybe it’s nothing,” I said, my brain trying to justify the picture before my eyes.

  “It sure doesn’t look like nothing,” Sherry said. “You think they’re on drugs?”

  I shrugged, hesitating. I wasn’t naïve enough to think there were no drugs where I lived, but to see their effects creeped me out big time.

  Bang! Bang!

  Before I could answer, shots echoed from the nearing cars. I wrapped my arm around Sherry and forced her head down the way I had seen on television and in all those action movies. “It looks like the police are firing into the crowd!” I yelled.

  “No! They can’t be.” She clutched her chest. “My sister’s down there. I hope she’s okay.”

  The ride jerked forward. As we started to descend, Sherry leaned over me to peer at the b
linking lights on the bar that rotated inside the wheel.

  I gripped her hand. “We’ll find your sister. I promise.”

  “Thanks, Dean.”

  A scream tore through the air, followed by growls and hisses.

  “What’s that noise?” Sherry asked, frantically glancing below us.

  Peering past the yellow bulbs twinkling all around me, I tried to see what was happening below. My senses were on full alert because of the danger we were in. I knew a stray bullet could hit us, or one of the drug-crazed people might decide to attack us. We had to get out of there, fast, before something happened. A cold chill rushed through me as the cart stopped at the wooden platform.

  I scanned the area for the best possible escape route. Crazed weirdoes were biting and tearing into the flesh of screaming, innocent bystanders, their blood staining their clothes and the asphalt beneath their feet. My stomach protested, ready to hurl up all the greasy hotdogs, funnel cakes, and cotton candy I’d eaten. My mind screamed, This can’t be true! People just don’t go around biting each other like cannibals! It has to be a joke. But I knew from the grotesque salty-metallic smell wafting through the air that the blood was all too real. It wasn’t a joke…but the grossest thing I’d ever seen in my life.

  “Dean, what’s happening?” Sherry asked, shaking my shoulder frantically.

  “I have no idea, but we’ve gotta get out of here.”

  The possessed people shuffled toward us. My pulse pounding in my ears, I spun quickly in hopes of getting out the other way, but the entrance was blocked with more people flooding in. The silver line dividers dropped to the ground with a loud clang.

  “We’re trapped!” Sherry said, grabbing my arm tight.

  “No!” I shook my head vehemently. “Don’t even think that. We’ll climb up the Ferris wheel.”

  “And if that doesn’t work?”

  I hesitated, considering my words. “Then we fight,” I said, suppressing a gag at the rotten smell.