by Radke, K. E.
The Undead Survivor Series
K.E. Radke
Other Books by this Author
Entangled Collateral
Nirvana
The Undead Survivor Series:
Guns, Rations, Rigs and the Undead: Book One
Dedication
Copyright © 2019 by Kendra Radke
Editing by Sara Miller
Cover Design by Drop Dead Designs
All Rights Reserved in all media. No part of this book may be used or reproduced without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations used in critical articles and reviews.
This is a work of fiction. Names, incidents, and places are used fictitiously and are the product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to events, locales, businesses, or person’s, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Published in the United States 2019
Table of Contents
Title Page
Other Books by this Author
Dedication
Copyright
ONE
TWO
THREE
FOUR
FIVE
SIX
SEVEN
EIGHT
NINE
TEN
ELEVEN
TWELVE
THIRTEEN
FOURTEEN
FIFTEEN
SIXTEEN
SEVENTEEN
EIGHTEEN
NINETEEN
TWENTY
TWENTY ONE
TWENY TWO
TWENTY THREE
TWENTY FOUR
TWENTY FIVE
Dear Reader
ONE
T ires screeched and everyone in Lincoln’s Land Cruiser watched the giant Escalade swerve into the neighborhood. Those in the SUV didn’t see Lincoln hidden, idling near the corner of his street while it drove erratically in several directions before a silhouette emerged from the sidewalk. It lazily stumbled into the middle of the street, a target immediately put on its back. The Escalade sped up and veered off in the person’s direction, slamming into him.
The body flew into the air, limbs flailed until he hit the pavement with a loud crack. The Escalade swung down a street right before Lincoln’s block and he got a clear view of Chase, Gunther and Michael through the windshield jeering and laughing.
His fingers tapped against the steering wheel and he glanced in the rear-view mirror trying to find his house in the dark. A strong urge to hold down the fort came over him until Melanie’s laughter filled the car.
Putting the car back in drive, Lincoln grumbled to himself because he wouldn’t be there to greet them, and permanently eradicate the problem. Those idiots would give him several reasons to shoot them if he stayed, but it was safer for the girls to move on rather than linger.
Chase’s little gang was living on borrowed time. He knew their stupidity and wounded pride would lead them to his house eventually. The gunshot wound Michael earned by trying to attack him at the grocery store probably slowed them down and gave the whole town of Dessarillo a break from their irksome behavior.
Lincoln pulled forward and craned his neck to observe the motionless body flat on the ground. The person didn’t budge as he exited the neighborhood.
Wyatt pushed the blond hair out of his eyes and confirmed, “The King of Rock and Roll still lives.”
The soiled jumpsuit had lost the clean, white vibrancy and all its gold glitter. Lincoln’s thoughts fled to Sabrina and the night she died. Her haunted expression when The King took a bite out of her. The leftover remains of her body took precedence over her beautiful face.
Instead of taking a moment to kill the ghoul, Lincoln continued down the road. He wanted to believe he could take care of The King when he returned. It gave him something to look forward to.
Preoccupied, he took the same route he always did out of town. He tuned out Wyatt’s voice and thought about the last few chaotic weeks. The government no longer existed—probably all eaten or in hiding—it was every man for himself. He managed to bond with Wyatt’s family, lose two women to the virus and gained a little girl to take care of.
Charlotte sat quietly in the back staring out the window while Melanie talked enthusiastically not aware she wasn’t listening. While he didn’t know how Camille caught the virus, she would be easy to remember because Charlotte was a living replica of her. The memory of their short relationship shrouded him with guilt.
If Sabrina hadn’t showed up, Camille might still be alive—or she would have infected him.
White knuckles gripped the steering wheel as he tried to keep his paranoia in check. There wasn’t proof of a virus, but all the evidence pointed to one, and he had three people in the car with him potentially carrying the deadly disease that was hell-bent on wiping out the human race. He was concerned for himself and Charlotte, checking on her more often than not. Melanie was sitting right next to her partially hidden in the back. He couldn’t get a clear view of Melanie’s fingers or ask to see them because Wyatt was sitting right next to him.
And he would figure it out.
He never promised Wyatt’s wife, Phoebe, he wouldn’t tell the man she was infected, but he agreed with her on the matter. People are incapable of making sound decisions when a loved one is dying, and Melanie needed her father.
Wyatt’s healthy pink fingers were splayed in his lap. He was still sulking because he couldn’t convince his wife to stay home with the girls. Not that there was much choice at this point.
Lincoln didn’t plan to stop until he hit the big city of Dallas, but the familiar dirt path up ahead gave him hope. He changed directions at the last minute, and made sure Phoebe caught the turn in the electric car behind him—it was one of the stipulations—she had to drive separately just in case she turned during the ride up to Dallas.
The new destination was only ten minutes out of the way, but if everything worked out, it’d be worth the effort.
It was pitch black on the old country road with only the SUV’s headlights to guide him. Lights appeared in the distance, proof that someone else was out here besides Lincoln. On closer inspection, a barely visible, black, monster truck was cloaked in darkness next to the house.
Lincoln parked next to the massive beast and turned off his headlights slowly exiting his vehicle so Samuel could clearly see him.
Greeted with a gun and a flashlight, he lifted his hands standing behind his open door and said grumpily, “Shoot me already. I don’t have time to stand here all day.”
“I knew you weren’t dead,” Samuel said and grinned widely, deepening the wrinkles around his eyes. The relief in his voice almost made Lincoln think twice about the favor he was about to ask his old friend.
Samuel holstered his gun and hightailed it over to Lincoln pushing his unruly gray hair out of his eyes. The unexpected visit gave him a reason to leave his house and he wasn’t going to blow the opportunity. “We were about to send the Calvary to your house. Everything was set for tomorrow. What happened?”
“Ham radio broke. I’m going to get parts in the city.”
Samuel’s expression turned grim as Lincoln’s words set in. He glanced at Wyatt before his gaze fell upon the two little girls in the backseat and stopped at the electric car idling behind them.
Lost for words, Samuel stammered out, “You have quite the group to help you.”
He kept a fake, soft smile plastered on his face and tried to keep the concern from creeping into his eyes for the sake of the two little ones in the back. Exhaling, Samuel gestured they take a few steps away from the SUV. When they were out of ear shot Samu
el harped lowly, “Are you fucking stupid?! Taking two children with you to the city?”
“Wyatt’s wife is infected,” Lincoln mumbled gravely. “If I don’t take the girls, she will eat them. Wyatt has no idea because she won’t tell him. I was hoping—,” he paused for a moment. “I was hoping the girls could stay here.”
Samuel paled at the suggestion. His mouth opened and shut twice before he finally said apprehensively, “I’d like to keep Renee alive until I die.” He pinned his eyes on Lincoln and said in a dead serious tone, “I cannot live without that woman.”
The revelation wasn’t something Samuel admitted lightly. He was not an emotional man, but he knew his limits and Renee was the most important person in his life. The day she died he planned to go with her.
They were both huddled together, refusing to make eye contact after the fact. Peering at Samuel through the corners of his eyes Lincoln began in a resigned tone, “I know what I’m asking. It’s a risk, and you have every right to say no. Somehow Phoebe contracted the disease without being bit, but so far, Wyatt and Melanie have no symptoms. From what I know the virus spreads quickly, and Phoebe’s first symptom was her fingertips turning gray this morning. I’ve been with them all day so if they have it I’m already infected. We’ll all be dead in the next twenty-four hours.”
Samuel put some distance between the two of them after Lincoln’s confession. Lincoln couldn’t blame the man. He’d probably do the same in his shoes.
“I want to help... ,” Samuel’s voice trailed off, his eyes flickering to his front door.
“If we were susceptible to it I think we’d already be dead,” Lincoln added and tried to keep his tone even. The last thing he wanted to do was sound desperate. “We know it spreads through bites. Something triggered it in Phoebe and I honestly think Wyatt and Melanie would already have the same symptoms if they were infected. Charlotte’s still alive, and I think her family caught it sometime ago. But she’s not showing any symptoms either.”
“Who’s Charlotte?” Samuel asked with a newfound curiosity.
“The little girl in the backseat.”
Samuel couldn’t see a thing in the dark as he tried to peer at the little girl in the Land Cruiser. One admirable trait about Lincoln that Samuel highly respected was the man did not lie. So, he absorbed everything Lincoln said. After a moment of silence he admitted, “The girls would keep Renee off my back . . . and give her something to fuss over.” His green eyes lit up at the idea and he finally nodded his head in agreement.
Lincoln treaded back to the car and broke the good news to everyone, “Girls, I think it’s best if you stay here with Samuel.”
Melanie glanced at Wyatt to see his reaction. Charlotte stared Lincoln in the eyes before vehemently shaking her head.
“Well that just hurts my feelings,” Samuel said pouting at Charlotte’s response.
“Who’s out here? You’re not dead, are you?” Renee’s voice sailed to them through the slight opening of the front door. She peeked outside with her gun ready. At the sight of Lincoln she exhaled in relief and scolded Samuel, “How many times do I have to go over the rules with you? Just poke your head inside and say who’s here, instead of having me worry.”
She stepped aside, and Noah poked his head out.
“Oh shit! I told you he wasn’t dead,” he exclaimed joining Samuel and Lincoln.
“Honey come on down here. We’re trying to convince the girls to stay here, but I don’t think they like me much,” Samuel called to his wife.
“I wouldn’t want to stay here either if it was between Lincoln, Wyatt and you,” she teased making her way to the SUV.
“You see what I have to put up with?” He glanced in the car at Melanie and Charlotte sounding wounded by Renee’s words.
“Oh my! What pretty little darlings you have!” Renee cried out happily smiling warmly. “They both yours Wyatt?”
Lincoln cleared his throat to catch everyone’s attention and signaled he needed everyone to step away from the SUV. Slowly opening the back door, Charlotte had shifted to the other side of the vehicle right up against Melanie. Her black hair was too short to hide behind. Lincoln pierced her with his gaze and asked, “You want to know how to throw that knife?”
Charlotte clung to the pocketknife that was too big for her hands and nodded.
Lincoln continued, “Samuel can teach you. And Renee, I bet she has some type of cookies she’ll share with you. But here’s the thing, are you listening?”
Charlotte nodded and sat up straight completely engrossed with every word out of his mouth.
“It’s not a toy. You must listen to everything Samuel and Renee say. If they say run. You run. If they say lock yourself in a room, you do it. If Samuel says throw the knife at someone. You throw the knife. But first you have to practice. He’s much better at throwing knives than I am.”
“Say that one more time so I can record it,” Samuel quipped cockily.
Lincoln gave him a ‘never going to happen’ expression before setting his gaze on Charlotte again and continued, “Will you practice? And show me what you can do when I get back?”
Charlotte hesitated glancing at Renee and Samuel before setting her eyes on Lincoln again.
“He’s right about those cookies,” Renee whispered loudly from behind Lincoln. “I have to hide them from the cookie monster.” She nodded her head at Samuel and winked.
“Do I get a knife to practice with?” Melanie chimed in. She was bunched up against the other side of the SUV stuck behind Charlotte.
“Uh—honey why don’t we let Charlotte—,” Wyatt began, but Lincoln muttered pampered princess under his breath. “Yes, you can have mine,” he said quickly changing his mind.
“No. You need yours,” Lincoln pointed out in an obvious tone directed at Wyatt. It was clear Lincoln thought Wyatt was stupid for even suggesting it. “Grab the one out of the glove box. I brought that one for Melanie.”
Narrowing his eyes, Wyatt accused, “You were going to give her a knife all along weren’t you.”
“You wanted your only daughter unarmed and unable to defend herself in the city with chompers?” Lincoln inquired incredulously. Wyatt opened his mouth to retaliate but Renee was too fast.
“Chompers! That’s a good one,” Renee interrupted pushing Lincoln, Noah and Samuel out of the way so she could make a path for the girls to exit. “Come on girls, we have cookies to eat and knife throwing to do. Maybe we can make our own targets. I’ll see what I can find when we go inside.”
The girls and Wyatt hopped out of the vehicle. Wyatt kneeled in front of Melanie kissing her face and hugging her tightly. He muttered in her ear to follow directions and be on her best behavior.
“What’s happening?” Phoebe questioned from the electric car poking her head out the window.
“Come say goodbye to Melanie,” Lincoln replied eyeing her carefully. The virus was slowly leeching the color out of her. He hoped Wyatt wouldn’t notice the difference in the dark. “They’re going to stay here and practice knife throwing while we’re gone.”
“Oh.” Phoebe glanced at Melanie and Wyatt. It was too dark for Lincoln to see if she was crying but the sound of her voice was broken.
Phoebe’s eyes started to glisten under the stars, her reaction hidden under the dark sky. The agony rushed over her and she felt her chest crack under the realization it was the last time she’d see her daughter. The last time to hold and hug and kiss her.
Sadness and tears wanted to explode out of her. Every breath became shorter and it hitched once or twice while she sat in the driver’s seat trying to calm down until an abrupt flood of tranquility flowed through her body allowing her to breathe easily again. The erratic emotions disappeared like she’d been sedated. Food invaded her thoughts and pushed her motherly instincts aside. Her brain suddenly realigned her priorities and made nourishment her main goal.
The sharp hunger pains in her stomach were growing steadily, and she wanted to stifle them but was too
scared to even consider taking a sip of water. Not that she could bring the liquid to her lips with the inevitable outcome that loomed ahead. The moment her fingertips turned black, she stopped eating and refused to take anything that might possibly help Wyatt and Melanie survive.
Her time was limited and while the cravings grew, she still had bits of humanity left that fought to keep Melanie and Wyatt her number one priority. She swallowed down the guilt of her secret as she got out of the car.
Fear stalled her footsteps a few feet away from Melanie. She tried to keep her composure, but she fell on her knees and hugged her greedily, grabbing a fistful of Melanie’s clothes and dirty blond hair. Holding her tightly, Phoebe allowed herself a moment to just breathe. Inhaling the very essence of her daughter as tears spilled down her face. She didn’t chance a kiss, she just held Melanie and whispered, “I love you baby girl. I love you more than anything in the world. Listen to your father. Listen to Lincoln. And always remember I love you.” Squeezing her one last time Phoebe cupped Melanie’s face and stared into her eyes. “I love you forever.”
“Mommy you’ll be fine. Daddy will be there to protect you. Don’t cry,” Melanie said softly brushing a freshly fallen tear off her face.
“Melanie. It’s very important that you learn to defend yourself. Don’t wait for someone to save you like the princesses. Be stronger than them. Sometimes grown-ups aren’t always around.” Phoebe hoped she understood. Problems adults dealt with were shifting to her daughter and Melanie was so young and innocent. So fragile. Her life was about to change drastically and Phoebe knew she wasn’t prepared—wouldn’t understand—until she had to fight for her own life by herself.
Melanie indulged Phoebe, allowing her mother to embrace her for as long as she wanted. More hugs and kisses were given from Melanie before Phoebe finally released her and watched as she bounced off with Renee. Wyatt placed his hand on Phoebe’s shoulder and she cringed away from it. Afraid he might catch whatever virus was spreading inside of her and leave Melanie an orphan.