“We sure did,” Jonathan agreed with a cocky grin.
She shot him a pointed look. “Next time you might want to adjust your aim.”
“What?” He straightened up with a frown.
“You heard me. Cat had to wade in and save your ass because you got too swing happy. You nearly got her killed.”
“Don’t talk crap,” he said, his cheeks reddening to a ruddy glow.
“All that fancy swinging and chopping won’t get you anywhere if you don’t kill any of them,” Dee insisted. “Aim for the head, stupid.”
“I know how to fight. I don’t need you to teach me how,” he said.
“Really? Because so far the pretty princesses have been doing most of the work.” Dee waved a hand at the bodies on the ground. “Cat and I got most of them. How many did you kill?”
Jonathan’s mouth worked while he stared at Dee, and inwardly, Cat cringed. While Dee had a point, shaming Jonathan was not the way to go. It would only cause problems between the members of the group. Besides, Jonathan had courage. He might be reckless, but he didn’t lack for bravery.
Cat stepped forward and raised both hands. “Whoa, there, you two. Hold up for a minute. We should not be fighting among ourselves. We should be fighting those things.”
“Yeah? What do you know?” Jonathan asked with a sneer. His eyes glittered with suppressed rage, and his stance spoke of wounded pride.
Cat knew she’d have to smooth over his ruffled ego first, so she turned a pleading face toward him. “Jonathan, I know you can fight. We both do, but we need you to stay focused. We’ve got to have each other’s backs.”
Jonathan stayed silent, his gaze flitting between her and Dee who was wisely staying quiet for the moment.
“The people back home are relying on us. Ryan and Kerry, they’re counting on you, their friend,” Cat continued, pressing her point home.
Jonathan shifted and let his arms drop. “Yeah, I know that, and I won’t let them down.”
“Good, because Dee and I are counting on you too. We can’t do this alone, Jonathan. We need you.” Cat paused, wondering if she’d laid it on too thick, but sagged with relief when Jonathan nodded and even offered her a half-smile.
“Fine. I’ll be more careful,” he said. “I’ve got you. Both of you. No zoms will get near you while I’m around.”
Cat suppressed the urge to smirk. Her ploy had succeeded. Jonathan was back to his old arrogant self, and harmony was restored. Maybe now, he’ll make more of an effort to be part of the group.
Dee nodded with approval. “You’re right, of course, Cat. The enemy is out there, not here between us. I’m sorry about what I said as well, Jonathan. You’ve got guts, and we need you.”
“Apology accepted. Now how about we check out the rest of this place? There might be plenty more zombies just waiting for us around the corner,” he said.
“Good point. Let’s go, boys and girls. Time to kick more zombie butt,” Dee said, picking her way through the bodies toward the buildings.
Cat followed, a small smile playing on her lips. Now we’re a real team. At last.
The Pledge - Chapter 4
Cat followed Dee as she made her way through the bodies toward the old farmhouse. According to her, none of the corpses belonged to the family owning the property.
“I know her,” Dee said, pointing to a sandy-haired lady of indeterminate age. “She used to run the store. Mrs. Cartwright, I think.”
Cat glanced at the woman then looked away. Her torn lips, bloodstained clothes, and vacant eyes were frightening, especially when paired with the thought that she used to be a living person.
“The rest of these people I don’t know. Either workers or customers at the store, maybe,” Dee added.
“This store…you say it carries a lot of goods?” Cat asked.
“More like a variety. They carry a little bit of everything.” Dee pointed toward a long low building with a hand-painted sign. “There it is, but I think we should check the house and outbuildings first.”
“Good idea.”
“So if the family isn’t here, you think they’re in the house?” Jonathan asked.
“Possibly,” Dee said.
“I should go in first then,” he replied.
“Why?”
“Because you know them, and you might hesitate,” he said.
“I won’t,” Dee said before she sighed. “Yeah, okay. Maybe, I would.”
They’d reached the porch steps, and Jonathan went up them two at a time. He knocked on the door. “Hello? Anybody in there?”
A woman hurled herself against the window next to the door with a screech. Startled, Jonathan staggered back a few steps until level with Cat and Dee. They watched as she clawed at the glass, hissing, and moaning, leaving smears of blood on the clear pane.
Dee swallowed. “That’s her. Mrs. Buckle.”
Cat looked upward, her eyes traveling over the cream-colored house to the second story until they came to rest on a strange sight. She gasped and pointed. “Look!”
A teen girl stood in the window, framed by a set of lace curtains. Her face was pale and drawn, but most of all, human.
“Oh, my. That’s Fiona. She’s still alive,” Dee cried. “We have to get her out of there.”
Jonathan nodded. “I’ve got this. Stand back.”
Cat backed up a few steps and gripped her hammer with both hands.
Without further ado, he yanked open the front door and called to the zombie woman inside. “Here zombie, zombie, zombie.”
The woman faltered before homing in on him and charging. He kicked her in the knee, and she fell to the floor. With one swift movement, he axed her in the head, and she stilled.
“Nice one, Jonathan,” Cat said, and he flashed her a proud smile.
His smile slipped when running footsteps sounded from inside the house before a small figure hurled itself at him through the open door. It screeched like a foul little monster, its teeth clipping shut mere centimeters from Jonathan’s chest. Black blood dribbled from its lips.
Jonathan yelped in fright and threw up his hands just in time. It was a boy of about ten or so and clearly infected. He grabbed the child by the neck, straining to keep it out of his flesh. Dee ran forward to help with Cat following right behind her. They reached the struggling duo, and Dee grabbed the boy’s arms from behind and pulled back. It shook its head, enraged, snapping at Dee over his shoulders, but he couldn’t reach her.
With Dee holding the infected boy still, Cat brought her hammer down on his head with all the force she could muster. The blow rang with a hollow thud before the skull imploded like a rotten egg, and his face crumpled.
Cat gagged and looked away, tears rising to her eyes. Dee dropped the boy and ran to the railing, vomiting over the side. Only Jonathan kept his cool, shaking off his fright and pulling the body to the side along with the mother’s. He ripped a curtain from its railing and covered them both while the girls attempted to gather their shattered nerves.
“That…that was Thomas, or Tommy as I used to call him,” Dee said, pointing at the covered body with a shaking hand. “I used to babysit him and Fiona when they were younger.”
“I’m sorry,” Cat whispered.
“It’s…I’ll be okay.”
“Are there any more kids we should know about?” Jonathan asked.
“No, just the two,” Dee replied.
“And Dad?”
“And him.”
“Right. Let’s get this Fiona and get to the store while keeping an eye out for Dear old Dad, okay?” Jonathan said.
“Okay,” Dee replied, and Cat found herself nodding along.
She pulled her inhaler from her pocket and took a puff, easing the sudden tightness in her chest. Over the past year, she’d mostly outgrown it, needing the medicine for her chest less and less, but at times of extreme stress, she still used it. Like now with the zombie boy, Tommy. That’d been a heartbreaking sight.
Together they
entered the house and searched the bottom floor. It was deserted with no signs of the father or his body. There were plenty of other signs though. Toppled chairs and tables, a broken glass, smeared blood and gore. It was a mess.
Dee called out, “Fiona? Are you up there? It’s safe now. You can come out.”
From upstairs, the sound of an opening door and the creak of wooden floorboards announced the arrival of Fiona. She walked down the stairs with slow steps but stopped when she saw Dee. Her mouth dropped open. “Dee? Is that really you? I thought so, but I wasn’t sure.”
“In the flesh,” Dee replied, opening her arms.
Fiona hurled herself into the waiting hug, sobbing her heart out. It took a long time to calm her down, but eventually, the story emerged. Her father was bitten when he went to town. He’d thought it a random attack by a drunk, not realizing he had become a ticking time bomb. A few hours later he turned while working in the shop, attacking workers and customers alike.
“He even got Mom and Thomas. We hid in the house, but when…when Mom and Thomas changed, I ran and hid in my room,” Fiona said.
Dee gasped. “For how long? How did you live?”
“I snuck out to the bathroom for water every now and then and to use the toilet. I couldn’t flush, though. The noise…” She trailed off and blushed deep red.
“You poor thing,” Dee exclaimed, ignoring her discomfort. “You must be starving.”
“A little,” Fiona said.
Dee set to work making the poor girl a quick lunch from leftovers in the kitchen while Cat continued to question her. “So, your dad? He might still be in the store?”
“Yeah, I think so,” Fiona said, talking through a mouthful of peanut butter on crackers.
“And the others? Are there a lot more of them?”
“No, I think you got most of them. A few wandered off or chased after the animals.”
“Well, that makes our job a little easier,” Jonathan said.
“Do you want to wait here while we check out the store, Fiona?” Dee asked.
Fiona shook her head. “No! I’d rather go with you guys. I…I can’t stay in here a moment longer.”
“All right. Just stick close to me. I’ll look after you, okay?” Dee said.
“Okay.”
With that said, the four of them left the house behind, and after a quick tour through the grounds, determined they were empty.
“So that just leaves the shop,” Cat said.
“Seems like it,” Jonathan replied. “Let’s go.”
The long low building seemed innocent in the mild afternoon sun, but the bloody handprints on the double doors said otherwise.
“Ready?” Jonathan asked as he reached for the handles.
“Ready,” Cat and Dee said in unison.
He swung the doors open and jumped back, but nothing happened. Total silence met their ears. With cautious moves, he edged through the opening and peered inside while Cat waited with her heart bouncing in her chest.
“Wait here,” he said before disappearing inside.
After a while, he returned with a big smile. “It’s deserted. There’s no one here.”
“Oh, thank God. That’s a relief,” Cat said.
“Your dad must have gotten out with the rest, Fiona,” Dee said.
“Maybe,” Fiona said with a frown. “I was so sure, though.”
“All right, I’m fetching the truck so we can load the supplies, and then we’re out of here. Deal?” Dee asked.
“Sounds good to me,” Cat agreed.
Thirty minutes later, they’d loaded as much as they could and were just about ready to go. Cat was in the medicinal section, looking for anything she could use to ease her hay fever with when Fiona jogged past. “Where are you going?”
“To the loo. I need to pee.”
“Okay, but hurry. We’re on our way.”
“Will do.”
Cat dismissed Fiona and turned back to the rack, pocketing a few boxes of pills. A sudden scream froze her to the spot when the door to the bathroom burst open. Fiona came running out, one hand reaching out to Cat. “Help me!”
A tall infected man grabbed her from behind and pulled her toward him. With a growl, he bit into her neck, bright red blood spurting forth in a spray of crimson. Cat’s mouth dropped open, and she reached for her hammer. She was about to run forward when a hand gripped her.
Dee.
“Cat, no. It’s too late,” Dee cried, raising her gun. “Get to the truck. Now.”
Cat shook her head in denial, Fiona’s anguished cries ringing in her head, but Dee was right. It was too late for the girl. She was already fading in her father’s death grip, her eyes glazing over as he tore at her flesh.
She turned and ran, two shots from behind spurring her on. She grabbed Jonathan along the way and dragged him. “Get to the truck.”
Dee followed moments later, jumping behind the wheel, and then they were off, tearing up the road. As they left the farm behind, Cat gathered her courage. “Dee, did you…kill Fiona?”
Dee’s eyes shimmered with unshed tears. “Yes. I couldn’t leave her like that. To turn. To become one of those things.”
Cat swallowed on the lump in her throat. “You did the right thing, Dee. In fact, let’s make a pact right here and now.”
“A pact?”
“A promise. A pledge.”
“Yeah?”
“No one, and I mean, no one, gets left behind to turn into one of those things. Who knows what might happen in the future, and I for one, refuse to be a zombie. Promise me, Dee. Jonathan.”
“No one gets left behind to turn,” Jonathan agreed.
“I swear as well,” Dee said.
“So do I,” Cat said with a firm nod. As a pledge it might not sound like much, but knowing she’d never be left behind to turn into a monster was a comfort. It was one less thing to worry about in this awful world of death and despair. One less thing.
The Pledge - Chapter 5
That raid was the first of many, but it was also the one they never forgot for the lessons it taught them. Never take anything for granted, never assume a place is empty, never let your guard down, don’t show off, stick together, and never, ever leave one of your own to become a zombie.
Roughly three weeks had passed when an unfamiliar car showed up on their doorstep followed by another. Cat was working in the garden at the time, digging up a new plot to grow more vegetables in.
The rumble of engines drew her attention, and she straightened up, dropping the shovel she held in one hand and reaching for her knife. Not that it’d be much good against armed strangers. With that thought in mind, she called out to Lucy who was helping her dig. “Lucy, sweetie. Please call Dee for me. Ryan too. Tell them we’ve got visitors.”
Lucy raised huge eyes to hers before nodding and dashing off like a bolt of lightning. Several people had climbed out of the two vehicles by now. They clustered around the gate, and Cat approached them with measured steps.
The first face to draw her attention was that of a young man. He stood taller than the rest, and he smiled at her over the rim of the gate. “Hello there.”
“Hi,” Cat answered with wary caution.
“Do you live here?”
“Yes.”
“Alone?”
Cat frowned. “No, I’m not alone, and what’s it to you?”
He chuckled. “Actually, I’m looking for someone. Her name’s Dee. This used to be her home, her parent’s farm.”
“Dee?”Cat asked, eyebrows raising with surprise. A thought occurred to her. “Aiden? Is that you?”
He took a step back. “How do you know my name? Did Dee tell you?”
“Yes, she did. So I take it you got her text and decided to come here?”
He nodded. “That’s right. I brought some friends too. They’re good people. Friendly.”
“They’d better be,” Ryan said, sidling up to Cat’s elbow, shotgun in hand. His face was set, and he looked like he
meant business.
Cat cast him a grateful look, glad for the back-up. “Where’s Dee and Jonathan?”
“On their way. I’ve got the kids holed up in the house,” Ryan replied in answer to her low question.
“Good.”
“Can we come in?” Aiden asked. “It’s not exactly safe out here.”
“Not until Dee gets here, sorry,” Cat replied.
His face fell, but he nodded. “I get it. We’ll wait.”
He turned to the others, a middle-aged woman and three teen girls. Together they conferred in whispers before spreading out in a semi-circle to stand guard. In the second truck at the back, Cat spotted another head of hair, though this girl looked a lot younger than the rest.
They waited a few more minutes, each one longer than the last. Cat fidgeted under the strain, her stomach flip-flopping as she stared at the strangers. Were they really who they said they were? Was that really Aiden? It was hard to believe, but if it were true, Dee would be ecstatic. If she and Jonathan ever get here, that is.
“Where are they?” she muttered under her breath.
“They were on the river when I called them. On the boat,” Ryan replied.
“Crap. It’ll take them a while to get here.” A garbled moan caused the hair on the back of Cat’s neck to rise, and she craned her neck. “What’s that?”
“Incoming!” the woman next to Aiden called. She allowed him to pass her by as he attacked the approaching infected with an ax, felling it with one blow.
Crackling brush announced the arrival of more zombies, and Aiden threw Cat a desperate look. “Let us in, please.”
Cat hesitated. “I can’t.”
“Please! There’s too many of them,” he pleaded. “They’re coming up the path. They’ll block us in.”
The leaves on a small tree shook as two more undead forced their way through from the side, and the woman with Aiden attacked them with a club, aided by the three girls armed with knives.
Cat waited one more second before jumping forward to open the gates. As they swung apart, she cried. “Okay, we’ll let you in, but hurry.”
Aiden nodded and waved his hands at one of the girls. “Vera, get inside the truck while I cover you. Now!”
Children of the Apocalypse: Mega Boxed Set Page 117