by Rosaria, A.
A scream behind them shattered the silence and froze them in their tracks. A woman. The scream kept going till it abruptly cut off. The wight must have caught up to someone. Another scream. This time a male. This one went on for a while longer. Sarah signaled Spacey to speed up and called out for Priss to hurry. Another scream. Nearer this time. Somehow the people from Loudmouth’s group must have been following her and the wight caught up with them first. Or it was just a coincidence that they were going in the same direction.
Sarah ran. She glanced back and saw Priss close by. From the huge eyes on her, the realization must have entered her head that now was not the time to play hookup. Some people needed harsh reality kicking their ass to jolt them out of their escapism fantasies. Like herself in the past with her choices in men.
Sarah urged Priss to go faster. They couldn’t let up. If they did, the wight would catch them.
A shrill scream from somewhere to her right made Sarah flinch. The skin on her arms prickled. She tasted the bitter fear on her tongue. She wanted to deny it, yet there it was. Another scream, followed by another, and another. The last one further away. They kept running. Not stopping. Adrenaline sped up their blood, carried them forward faster. Sarah’s chest burned with the cold air she breathed in, yet she pushed on. Faster and faster. Her muscles trembled. She pressed on. A little longer. A little further. The dead twigs and leaves cracking under her boots transitioned into stones. The trees became scarcer.
They burst into an open rocky area. Not far loomed the mountains. A hundred yards ahead there was more forest. To their left was a stream. The open area was about half an acre. It would have been a nice camping spot if they were not being chased by a creature from her deepest nightmares.
“We have to rest,” Vance said.
Sarah moved closer to the stream. Vance was right. They all were beat tired. But they couldn’t rest like he meant to. Sarah splashed her face. The cold water burned her skin and along with it some of her tiredness. She filled her canteen, hoping the filter would keep the bacteria out.
“Fill up. We can’t stay.”
Vance grumbled as he helped Priss with her backpack. Sarah glowered at him. The gentleman. He alternated with Priss at carrying the backpack. Ralph would have carried the whole burden by himself, while Vance, with the physique of an athlete, allowed a lithe girl like Priss to share the burden. It tore Sarah’s heart knowing that in a minute or two she must force Priss to go on.
Done filling their canteens, Vance helped Priss strap the backpack on. Spacey grabbed the backpack from Vance and pushed the younger man aside. Vance staggered back, tripped, and fell on his ass. Protesting, he crawled back up. He raised his clenched fists, then he saw Spacey’s expression and faltered. He lowered his hands and slunk away to Priss’s side.
Spacey turned away from them and faced Sarah. His cold and cruel eyes settled on her. A shiver went down her spine. She resumed their way up to the mountains. Spacey took his place beside her. A feeling of unease passed over her. She glanced at him. He glanced back with a wicked smile. Whoever this man was, he scared her shitless. It didn’t change the fact that with him they stood a better chance of surviving the wight. The lucidity started to dissipate and his cruel lips lifted upwards in a wistful smile. Sarah stepped up her pace and prayed they increased the distance enough to outrun the wight.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
This was becoming their new normal. With wobbling legs, they limped forward toward the sunrise, up on a two-car-wide dirt path into the mountains. Spacey led the way after insisting they follow him. Sarah, too tired to argue, had given in. Anywhere was better than back down the mountain.
“Where are you leading us?”
Spacey pointed up to the top of the mountain. “Space.”
Sarah gave up trying.
“What’s up with him?” Vance asked.
Another one she wanted to stop trying with, but the douche kept asking questions, and for each tongue lashing she gave him, Priss would glare at her like she just kicked a puppy.
“Isn’t it obvious?”
Sarah ignored the warning Priss flashed her.
“He’s nuts, isn’t he?” Vance said.
Sarah didn’t bother to answer the obvious. She would love to rip him a new one, but not everything you loved was a good thing. It was best for now to keep the peace.
“Jeez, Sarah. We should ditch him.”
Sarah sneered at him. It grated her how he used her name. Made her feel dirty. “Since when are we a ’we’? If we need to ditch someone, it’s you.”
Priss sent daggers her way. “Sarah, behave.”
“Why? Because he’s your boyfriend? No. He needs to shut his trap about Spacey.”
Priss rolled her eyes. “It’s not even his name.”
Vance draped his arm over Priss’s shoulder. “And he is dangerous.”
Yes, he is dangerous. Spacey, walking ahead, was oblivious of them debating about dumping him. Or was he? You never knew unless you peered into those eyes. His firm butt didn’t betray if he was nuts Spacey or scary Spacey. God, she should stop staring at him. He was way too old, but those firm cheeks moving up and down, no old man should have a body like that.
“He helped us out when it mattered. I can’t say that about you, Vance.”
“Doesn’t giving you my night vision goggles count for something?”
Sarah didn’t want to admit he had a point. She gave him a calculated stare and then dismissed him. “The only reason I allow you to stay is because you are Priss’s plaything.” Sarah caressed the butt of her revolver. “The moment she gets fed up with you, I’ll send you away.”
Vance’s eyes narrowed, not having missed her meaning. At least he was perceptive enough to perceive she was for real. Priss dragged Vance away. “Don’t mind her, sometimes she doesn’t understand how much of a bitch she is.”
Sarah kept her face emotionless as she caught up to Spacey. He glanced at her with killer eyes as she reached him. With a smirk, he slid his eyes away from her.
“Where are we going?”
The old man chuckled. “You would like to know, don’t you?”
“Yes, I do.”
His eyes grew haunted as he raised them to the mountaintop. “A bad place.”
“If it is, we shouldn’t go there?”
“I shouldn’t.” Spacey shuddered, the lucidity leaving him. He growled the word out. “Space.”
Lost, he took one stride after another. It was the most he had divulged about anything, and even so, his most wasn’t a whole lot. She knew nothing about the place except that it may be dangerous.
They were gaining altitude. As far as her eyes reached, she could see the blackened tree stumps and what once was a large town. Had they followed the route leading away from the mountains, they all would be crispy by now. She wondered if zombies ate grilled meat.
They reached a touristy viewing spot with three coin-operated binoculars. Sarah grabbed a lost quarter out her pocket and slid it in the slot. The view was nice if not for the horde of zombies cresting the horizon as far as she could see. The zombies were still tens of miles away. There was no point turning back. Though what was the point? Wherever they went, in time they would face this horde or another one.
“What are you looking at?” Priss said as she approached her.
“Nothing. Shouldn’t you be with your boyfriend?”
Priss backed away with a hurt expression on her face as she left Sarah’s side. Vance flashed that stupid grin again. Everything she was doing or saying was sending Priss running toward him. And he knew it. She curbed in the urge to walk over to him and grant him a piece of her mind. Instead, she grabbed the binoculars and observed the landscape. They were on the only viable way up the mountain. The path itself didn’t go in a straight line up. This could turn in their favor. When the horde reached the base of the mountain, it was unlikely they would all find their way up. A few may luck their way, but would shamble straight over the first ridge they reac
hed. This gave her some comfort. Her small group was safe from this horde. She wasn’t so sure if they were from other humans or wights.
After walking for an hour, they decided to stop to rest and eat. Sarah watched Spacey warm canned food on a little gas stove he kept in his backpack. She didn’t pack that in. She had been smart to acquire one, but then again not so smart about packing one in. Sure, she could make a fire with some twigs and a lighter, but with the gas portable stove, you didn’t risk leaving a trail for someone to find. Good thing Spacey thought about that. Again she wondered how crazy was he, really? What caused him to retreat in his dazed state? And would he snap out of it one day and be his creepy real self twenty-four seven?
The meatballs tasted delicious. Satisfied, Sarah leaned back, her hands on her belly. Any satisfaction she felt disappeared when she watched Priss snuggle against Vance. Much like Becky did, when they met them two nights ago. Did she fail someway to fulfill a need Priss longed for? Sarah couldn’t offer her sex—that was out of the question. She wondered about that thought. Sarah doubted Priss wanted that from her. It was more likely that she neglected to share her emotions. Was this why Priss latched on to the first person who gave her any attention?
A conciliatory smile creased Priss’s lips. Sarah sighed and returned it. It was the best she could offer her. And from the relief on Priss’s face, it seemed enough. If Vance was what Priss wanted, as Priss’s friend she needed to find a way to be at peace with that. If he made Priss happy, where was the harm in it? At least she hoped so. Though, however much she tried, she couldn’t make herself trust him. It could be her very own bias that made it so. The only good guy she knew and wanted was Ralph, and even he rejected her. She couldn’t blame him, though. Lauryn was pretty, nice, owned kissable lips, a body to die for, and, unlike her, was a downright good person. Being honest with herself, Ralph deserved Lauryn and not her.
After a small meal, they rested for fifteen minutes before moving out again. As they kept trudging forward, the burden of the day dragged the sun down. At most, they had five hours of daylight left. Sarah sauntered forth. She should look for shelter. Or at least try? But there was this thing about repeating the same thing and expecting a different result that didn’t sit well with her.
After following the dirt road for an hour, they reached a man-made tunnel, wide and high enough to allow a large truck to pass through with an inch to spare. Light bloomed on the other side, but she could discern little between the two ends. She estimated the tunnel was about thirty yards deep. A cold draft reached her, and with it a damp smell. Sarah shuddered and hesitated. Anything could be hiding inside. Spacey strode past her into the tunnel. Sarah hesitated, then went after him. “Stop.”
Spacey peered at her with his cold eyes. “Why?”
Sarah held a hand out for Priss to stay where she was. She didn’t want them to see Spacey like this or hear her plans.
“Follow me,” she whispered. Ten paces away from Vance and Priss, she faced him.
“I don’t want to keep fleeing.”
A smile cracked his lips as he studied her appreciatively. “I see. What’s your plan?”
“We tell the others that this is the best shelter we’ll find.” She touched the P90. “And I’ll keep guard while they sleep.”
Spacey grinned. “Bait?”
Sarah didn’t want to see it that way, but there was no denying it. Little choice she had. They all were bait, only she couldn’t tell Priss that, not with the way she clung to Vance. He seemed the type to balk at the idea of putting himself at risk.
“I’ll need you to back me up.”
“Are you sure about that? I have issues…”
His eyes got a faraway gaze, as if he was reliving a soul-sucking experience. Sarah shook his shoulder. “Hey, don’t go yet.”
“There are things…” He pointed at the exit. “…I have to face without knowing how to. I’ll help you as much as I can, but never count on me.” He faded back inside himself as he sat with his back propped against the rocky surface of the tunnel.
Priss, not able to wait any longer, darted Sarah’s way. “Are we stopping again?” She checked her watch. “We still have three hours of daylight left.”
Sarah pointed at the now sleeping Spacey. “He told me we wouldn’t reach any other shelter in time. This place is as good as it gets. It hides us from view, and we are able to see anyone approaching us before they see us.”
Priss bit her underlip. She must think Sarah was selling her utter bullshit.
“Priss, I know it looks bad, but we have no other choice.”
They stared at each other for what seemed like a long time. Priss shrugged. “If you say so, I guess we’ll have to.”
Priss and Vance sat on the opposite wall and started cuddling and soon lost themselves in each other. Sarah doubted Priss bought her excuse to stay. Not completely, anyway. At least she didn’t show any hint of any idea what the actual plan was. From the way Priss snuggled with Vance, Sarah doubted she cared. She shuddered and sat next to Spacey. No smooching between them. Not in a million years. She shut her eyes and forced herself into sleep.
Sarah woke up with a start. The light coming into the tunnel was dim. The sun must be setting. Spacey still slept beside her. Pitch-black covered the place where Vance and Priss had been cuddling. She concentrated. Only one other person breathing. She inched forward, squinting her eyes. Cursing, she crawled up, grabbed her P90, and headed for the tunnel’s entrance. No trace of Priss. She tried the other side. Nothing there, either. She started pacing in front of the tunnel, trying to keep her panic at bay. It was a battle she was at the point of losing when she heard giggling.
Sarah followed the dirt path and around a bend, reaching an open space with picnic tables. Priss and Vance sat on top of one of the tables. Vance tickled Priss. Giggling, she tried to push him away. Sarah gripped the P90 tight. Her heart raced. She eased her breathing. They kept at it, unaware of her presence. Sarah opened her mouth to yell at them but shut it again. Priss deserved some fun, especially with the great chance of her plan failing and them dying.
“Guys, it’s getting dark. Priss, you should make dinner.”
They both jumped at her voice. With some effort, Sarah held back a grin at Vance’s pale, wide-eyed face.
“Let’s head back before it’s too dark.”
She left them, happy at having cockblocked that son of a bitch. Now they had no choice but to follow her back. Besides, with the sun setting, this was not the time for sex.
“Wait up,” Priss yelled.
The short girl ran up to her. “It’s not what you think.”
Sarah’s eyes grew cold. “No? So you two weren’t making out?”
“Well, yeah, but…”
“Then you were doing exactly what I thought you were doing.”
Priss blushed. Sarah placed an arm around her. “There is nothing wrong with that.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, don’t worry about it. He is a creep, but you like him, so I’ll try to be okay with it.” Until he tripped and showed himself for the asshole he was, then she wouldn’t try so much, but no point in divulging that.
“Ahem… thanks?”
“You’re welcome,” Sarah said, savoring what she would do to him when he messed up.
Back inside the tunnel, Sarah slurped the last bit of her soup and leaned back, satisfied, with a full belly. The wight must be gaining on them. She had seen it the night before and heard it. The distance covered today was too little to get away. It was a given that the creature would reach them soon.
“This is safe?” Vance asked. He sounded worried to Sarah. Not that she cared how he felt.
“Shouldn’t we at least have tried getting farther away?”
He sat somewhere in front of her, Priss next to him. Sarah couldn’t see them in the dark. She lay the can down. “This is the safest place for now.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“You have little choice. We are h
ere. It’s night. We got shelter. No point arguing it.”
“Yeah, great choice. You will regret it… we will regret it all.”
Did she imagine it, or was he threatening her? “What do you mean by that?”
“You know what I mean. If all hell breaks loose, you will be totally screwed”
Sarah heard Priss try to shush him. If hell broke loose and everything went sideways, they all would be completely screwed and dead. There were no regrets when dead.
Sarah put the goggles on. Priss was whispering in Vance’s ear. Vance scowled and glared at where he thought Sarah was, but he was off by about a foot. Sarah aimed her P90 right between his eyes and placed her finger on the trigger.
“Things will not turn to hell. And if that happens, I’ll be ready for it.” She imagined the top of his head flying up, followed by his tiny brain. She released the trigger and lowered the P90.
“You both go back to sleep. I’ll take first watch.” Most likely she’d keep guard the whole night. Spacey was staring ahead, inside his own world. He must be reliving a nightmare he couldn’t seem to wake up from. If he failed to return, it all depended on her. Well, he told her not to be leaning on him.
“I can stand guard,” Vance offered. He went for the Sig.
“Stop.” Vance froze. “She gave you that gun, but don’t draw it in front of me. You stay with Priss and keep her safe.”
Priss clung onto Vance as he tried to stand. The dirty glare he gave Priss as he sat down revealed everything she needed to know about him. Vance was not a good man. She stood up.
“Sleep. You both will need the strength in the morning.”
She dropped her backpack facing the tunnel’s exit and deployed it as cover, resting her P90 on top. She waited. An hour passed. She could hear light snoring behind her. No movement outside yet. She shifted her weight. Sarah grunted, her muscles stiff from lying on the cold ground for so long. She rubbed her breast. And it was not the most comfortable position to be in for long hours. Another hour passed. Still no sound from outside. At the fourth hour, gravity started pulling at her eyelids.