Children of the Apocalypse: Mega Boxed Set

by Baileigh Higgins

  With saying another word, Lisa whirled around and ran outside. She made straight for the main gates where she encountered a frazzled Dave and an angry Lenka arguing in front of the half-open exit.

  “Where is he?” she cried.

  “He got away. I wasn’t fast enough, and he slipped right through…opened the gates…” Dave wheezed. The older man was out of breath and out of his depth.

  “Why didn’t someone stop him? The guards, anyone?”

  “They were too busy on the other side. There was no one here to catch him.”

  “I will kill that boy,” Lenka announced.

  “No need,” Lisa replied. “Because I’ll kill him first.”

  With those parting words, she shot through the gates and ran into the night. She ignored Dave’s feeble cries and made for the outer walls as fast as she could. With every breath she took, she made a promise. “I’m coming, Kabelo. I’m coming for you.”

  Chapter 6 - Breytenbach

  In the aftermath of the previous night, the day dawned with clear skies and a cheerful sun. Its warmth did much to dispel the lingering wintry chill and dry out the wet earth. Birds chirped in the trees and guinea fowls scratched for worms in the dirt. Not a cloud remained to darken the day. Not so, the hearts of the inhabitants of the camp.

  They were all gathered around a freshly dug grave.

  Joanna’s grave.

  The stab wound had been too much for the old woman to survive. The tip of the blade had pierced a lung, and not long after the incident, she passed away.

  Breytenbach stood with his arms around Julianne, trying to instill some sense of comfort in her. She’d been good friends with Joanna, and the loss was hitting her hard. It had been a shock to him too. After shoring up their breached defenses, Max, Joseph, Mike, Kirstin, Lenka, and himself had returned to camp only to be confronted by a tearful Elise.

  Kabelo had escaped, but only after he killed Joanna.

  Lisa had gone after him.

  It was a tragedy.

  Elise was too guilt-stricken to look anyone in the eye. It had been her idea to save the boy’s life and give him a chance, after all. No one honestly blamed her, however. They’d all begun to warm to Kabelo over the past weeks, fooled by his quiet demeanor, and no one saw this coming. He didn’t think Elise would feel that way, though.

  Other than Julianne, the people who’d miss Joanna the most were Ben, Dave, and Hannah. They’d all been close and spent much of their time together. He hoped Ben didn’t suffer a relapse because of it, but the man looked steady as he murmured a quiet prayer over the grave, flanked by Dave and Hannah.

  Breytenbach allowed his gaze to drift over the assembled inhabitants. Jonathan and Dr. Lange looked mournful. Despite their best efforts, the two had not been able to save Joanna’s life even with surgery.

  Michelle was in charge of the children, and they stood apart from the rest of the group, their little faces serious. The dogs, Princess and Buzz, sat beside them, well-behaved for once.

  Erica and Tumi looked shellshocked, each holding their babies and flanked by concerned husbands. While Joseph was stalwart, Sean looked jumpy and nervous, his pale blue eyes wide as he watched over wife and daughter.

  Kirstin lay a bunch of picked wildflowers on the grave, supported by Max, while Ronnie, Mike, and Lenka stood guard on the walls. Phillip read a prayer from the Bible, his throat bobbing as he spoke, flanked by Liesel, Abraham, and his son Abe. That left only Nick and Sharyn Ross. The newest additions to camp, the couple had yet to settle in and kept to themselves in situations like these.

  Breytenbach stared at the small heap of freshly dug earth with its crude wooden cross and sighed. Their little cemetery was growing. It now sported four graves, all lined up in a neat row underneath a clump of willow trees.

  Morgan.

  Jacques.

  Rosa.

  Joanna.

  He thought of all the other bodies out in the world. Of loved ones and friends who died and whose bodies were never recovered. The list was too long to remember, though a few stood out and lingered apart from the rest. Lilian, Johan, Mannuru, Armand.

  Julianne dashed a delicate hand across her tear stained face and turned away. She buried her face in his jacket and clung to him. He drew her close, pressing a soft kiss onto the top of her head. “I’m so sorry, my love.”

  “I’ll miss her.”

  “I know.”

  Around them, the crowd thinned as each returned to their various duties. Breytenbach’s eyes burned from lack of sleep, but he knew there’d be no slumber for him anytime soon. There was too much to be done. In an unconscious gesture, he massaged his left arm. It had gone numb again, a niggling problem that continued to plague him ever since his illness. That and occasional shortness of breath, and feelings of faintness.

  “Is it your arm again?” Julianne asked.

  “Yes, but it’s not too bad.”

  “Have you asked Jonathan about it?”

  “I have.”

  “And?”

  Breytenbach remembered the conversation he’d had with the young doctor that day. After an extensive examination, Jonathan had sat him down and said, “I think the problem is your heart.”

  “My heart?”

  “It’s not functioning at full capacity.”

  “Why?”

  “It’s difficult to say for certain without further tests, but I think your recent illness damaged the muscle.”

  “How bad is it?”

  Jonathan hesitated. “Again, without further tests that I don’t have the equipment for―”

  “You can’t say for sure.”

  “That’s correct.”

  The news opened up a pit of despair in Breytenbach’s stomach as he thought of Julianne, Meghan, and Sam. They need me.

  Jonathan hastened to reassure him. “While I can’t fully determine the severity, I can tell you it’s not that bad. Though it might worsen over time, for now, you’re still fairly healthy. You don’t have high blood pressure or cholesterol either which is a bonus.”

  “Is there anything I can do?”

  Jonathan sighed. “The usual. Eat right, exercise, get enough sleep, keep your stress levels low, that sort of thing.”

  Breytenbach snorted. “Easier said than done. We live in a zombie apocalypse.”

  “I know, but you have to try. Also, I’ll prescribe some medication for you to take every day.”

  “Like what?”

  “Nothing serious. Just something to help prevent blood clotting and to smooth out the rhythm of your heart. If you start to swell, you’ll have to use diuretics, and you might benefit from a calcium supplement.”

  “Nothing serious?” Breytenbach said with a tinge of disbelief.

  “Trust me, this is nothing compared to most heart disease cases,” Jonathan replied. “Also, I’ll need to see you for regular check-ups to monitor your condition.”

  “Thanks, Doc.”

  Breytenbach had left the infirmary that day feeling defeated, but also determined not to let anyone know. Heart disease. Condition. The words rang hollow in his ears, so he chose to ignore it. He drank his pills and followed Jonathan’s advice, but other than that, he pretended nothing was wrong.

  Now he looked at Julianne’s worried face and said, “Don’t worry, sweetheart. It’s just a pinched nerve, Jonathan says. Nothing a good rub won’t sort out.”

  “Oh, good. I’m glad to hear that.” She punched him lightly on the affected arm. It’s because you stress too much. You should learn to relax.”

  Easier said than done, he thought with dry amusement.

  Max approached them with slow steps; his face was drawn with exhaustion. “Sorry to interrupt, Mom, but I need to speak to Breytenbach.”

  Julianne sniffed and pulled away. “It’s all right. I need to get to work anyway. It’s kitchen duty for me this morning. Besides, I think I need to speak to Elise and make peace with her. She shouldn’t have to carry this burden alone.”

&
nbsp; Breytenbach nodded. “That’s a good idea, my love. See you in a bit.”

  She walked away, and he turned to Max. “What’s up?”

  “Well, as you know, Lisa’s gone,” Max replied. “Chasing after Kabelo.”

  “I know. There’s not much we can do about it, though. I’d send someone after her, but who? We’re short-handed as it is.”

  “I agree. Painful as it is to say, she’s on her own.” Max sighed. “I hope she catches the little shit. He knows everything about us now. Our numbers, layout, everything. If he gets back to Ke Tau, he’ll tell them everything.”

  “Ke Tau already knows everything. They’ve been watching us for weeks, but yes, I hope she catches the maggot.”

  “What about the fence?”

  “Joseph’s done a good job of shoring it up. There’s a veritable wall of earth covering the gap.” Max shifted from one foot to the other. “He’s gone out with a team now to clear out the site and empty the moat.”

  “I find it curious that there were so many infected in the area last night. Why there? Why that spot? They just about poured in through the gap.”

  “Not so curious. It was deliberate.”

  A ball of ice formed in the pit of his stomach. “How so?”

  “Abe returned half an hour ago. He went out with Philip and Sean to search the reserve. Make sure there are no lurkers. In their search, they stumbled across something interesting,” Max replied. “An abandoned bucksaw. A big one.”

  “So the tree was cut?” Breytenbach shook his head. “I should have known.”

  Max nodded. “By a two-man team. They must have planned the whole thing, drawn the infected there.”

  “So Ke Tau’s back to his old tricks. I was wondering how long he’d wait.”

  “I think the failed ambush on Ronnie and the team made him wary, but I guess he’s ready to resume hostilities.”

  Breytenbach chewed on this. “What do you want us to do now?”

  Max shrugged. “I don’t know. We haven’t heard from Michael yet. If we ever do, and if we attack now without more information…”

  “We’ll most likely lose,” Breytenbach summed it up. “Especially with Tallulah out of commission. When can we get her back?” The armored vehicle was an integral part of their attack plan.

  “I’m putting all extra hands on that fence, so we’re working on it.”

  “What about supplies?”

  “That’s the thing I wanted to talk to you about,” Max said. “We’re running very low. The harvest was sparse, and the winter crops aren’t near ready yet. We’ve got the goats and the buck in the game reserve, but we can’t kill too many of them, not if we’re looking at a future here. Same with the chickens.”

  “You want me to go out?”

  Max nodded. “If you’re willing. I know it’s dangerous.”

  “I’m willing. The question is, where do I go?” Breytenbach asked. “Ke Tau runs Welkom now. He’s appropriated anything of worth there, and Riebeeckstad’s tapped out.”

  “Hennenman?”

  Breytenbach nodded. “It’s a distance, but we’ve been there before. The problem is, with us gone you’ll be vulnerable here, and short-handed. I don’t like leaving while knowing Ke Tau’s back on the offensive.”

  “I’ve thought of that. I’m pulling everyone in except the fence team. No guards on the outer walls and everybody off non-essential duties. We’ll man the inner walls and sit tight until you’re back.”

  “When I return, we’ll have to make a decision. We can’t sit here while Ke Tau is out there making plans. He has the advantage right now and can attack at his leisure. Last night was just a taster.”

  “I agree. I’ll have Tallulah and our people ready when you get back. Just hurry back and bring us what we need. More ammo would be great too.”

  “I’ll do my best,” Breytenbach replied, already mapping out a likely route in his head for a quick supply run.

  “When do you leave?”

  “Now,” Breytenbach replied. “Tell Kirstin, won’t you? She can meet me at the lot.”

  “Will do, Captain,” Max replied. He strode off, leaving Breytenbach with a head full of problems with no likely answers in sight.

  He directed his feet toward the wall where he knew Ronnie stood guard. “Hey, Ronnie. We’re going on a raid. Gather Mike and Lenka.”

  “Who’s taking over my watch?”

  “Max will send someone. Get your gear and meet me at the lot in ten.”

  “See you there, Captain.”

  Breytenbach made his way to the rooms he now shared with Julianne and Meghan. His path carried him past the schoolroom where he spied the kids playing together on the swings. As ever, Meghan was bossing everyone around, prompting a smile from him. She was a real little firecracker and caused Julianne sleepless nights with her escapades.

  After gearing up, he forced his feet to carry him to the kitchens. He did not look forward to confronting Julianne with the news. She’d be less than thrilled at the thought of him leaving during such a time, but he knew there wasn’t any choice. Needs must.

  He found her peeling carrots from the garden along with a somber Elise who prepared pickle jars for the peeled vegetables. Julianne gave him one look, and her lips thinned into a strict line. “What’s going on?”

  “I’m going out.”

  “Now? With everything that’s happened?” She slammed her hands on the counter. “What if you don’t come back? What if you die out there?”

  “I won’t, I promise. I’ll be cautious.”

  “You don’t know that.” She stabbed the peeler in his direction for emphasis, and he stepped back while contemplating that zombies weren’t the most dangerous things out there.

  “We need supplies, love. The camp needs it.” He raised his hands to ward off the incoming kitchen utensil.

  “I don’t care. Meghan needs you. Sam needs you. I need you.”

  “I know, but―”

  “But nothing. Your place is here.” Suddenly, her angry face dissolved into tears. “I couldn’t stand it if I lost you. Not you too.”

  “Ah, love.” He gathered her into his arms while she cried on his shoulder. “You won’t lose me, I promise.”

  Elise cast him a sympathetic look but kept out of it, much to his chagrin. It took ten minutes before Julianne calmed down enough for him to say goodbye, and after a tearful farewell, he made his way to the parking lot.

  His team was already assembled, geared up and ready to go. He eyed their grim faces one after the other and reflected once more how fortunate he was. Never have I seen a stronger unit, not even among the elite.

  “No Tallulah?” Ronnie asked.

  “Not today. We’ll need more than one vehicle anyway. You take the Ranger with Mike, and I’ll take the minibus with Kirstin and Lenka.”

  “Done.”

  They split into two groups and piled into their respective vehicles. No one had much to say. Not even Mike had a funny comment or a weird quirk for them. They can all feel it, Breytenbach surmised.

  The events of the past few weeks had built up to last night, and now a storm loomed on the horizon. One far bigger than the previous night’s one had been. This one would break over them like a tsunami, destructive in its power, and it would determine all their futures.

  We’d better not lose.

  Chapter 7 - Julianne

  After Breytenbach left, Julianne attacked the last batch of carrots with vigor. Anything to keep her mind off him going once more. She chopped and sliced with speed before remarking, “We had a decent harvest this Autumn.”

  “Yup, we did. I think we’ll have a good crop of potatoes and beets too,” Elise replied.

  “That’s nice.” Julianne sighed. “I miss fresh tomatoes, though. To me, they taste like sunshine.”

  “Spring will be along soon enough,” Elise said. She turned and looked at Julianne with shrewd eyes. “Not that you’re bothered about vegetables are you?”

  “What do
you mean?” Julianne asked.

  “Come on. I know that look. You didn’t want him to go.”

  “No, I didn’t,” Julianne admitted. “Not this time.”

  “What’s different about this time?” Elise asked. “He goes out all the time.”

  Julianne shrugged. “I don’t know, but something’s changed. I feel it.”

  Elise stared at her with a perplexed frown. “Changed?”

  “It sounds silly, but I know something’s wrong with Christo. He’s not himself, and it scares me.”

  “Have you tried asking him?”

  “I’ve hinted at it, but he brushes me off. I’ve spoken to Jonathan too, but he just avoids the question.”

  “Jonathan?” Elise put down the jar she held. “So we’re talking medical problems here?”

  Julianne nodded. “I’m sure of it, but I can’t get either of them to confess.”

  “You must be so worried,” Elise said. “Men.”

  “You’ve no idea.”

  Working in silence, they chopped the last of the recent harvest and bottled it with vinegar and salt. Once the final jar was sealed, they moved out into the garden.

  Julianne picked a row and weeded it with care. The feel of sun-kissed dirt beneath her fingers removed some of the terror that beat inside her heart, the fear of never seeing Breytenbach again, but not all of it. I need him. More than that, I love him.

  Soft sniffles intruded on her thoughts, and she looked up in surprise. Tears shimmered on Elise’s face, and Julianne felt ashamed all at once. I’m so selfish.

  “Oh, Elise. I’m so sorry.”

  “It’s okay.”

  “No, it’s not. I can’t imagine what you must be going through.”

  “It’s my fault. I chose to see the best in someone who ended up being the worst.”

  “I know it’s hard, but you must believe me,” Julianne said with urgency. “It’s not your fault.”

  “It is.”

  “No! We all thought…” She rubbed her temples where a headache had begun to form. “We all thought he was innocent after a while, Elise. All of us.”