Children of the Apocalypse: Mega Boxed Set

by Baileigh Higgins

  The dark haired girl sprinted for the driver’s door while Aiden followed her. Behind him, one of the other girls slid behind the wheel of the car in the front. The older woman and other girl picked off more of the encroaching undead with Aiden helping them.

  “Ryan, kill any infected that get inside. Cover our backs,” Cat cried.

  “Roger,” he said, moving to the side to clear the way.

  With the gates yawning wide, Cat flung herself toward the nearest zombie and stabbed it through the temple. The boom of Ryan’s shotgun sounded, and another zombie collapsed in the dust. Engines roared, and the car drove through tailed by the truck.

  Once inside, Cat retreated inside and slammed one half of the gate shut. As she ran for the other half, Aiden, the older woman, and the remaining girl followed. The shotgun boomed again, and a snarling face fell next to Aiden’s feet.

  Cat pushed with all her might, and with their help, she got the gates shut and latched. With a breathless cry, she fell back as several groaning bodies slammed against it. She looked at Ryan. “We have to get rid of them.”

  He nodded and clambered onto a steel contraption they’d built for the purpose. It elevated him above the wall, and with his gun against his shoulder, he began picking them off.

  The older woman grabbed Cat by the arm, her expression fierce. “Thank you for letting us in. I’m Liz.”

  Cat opened her mouth to reply, but Liz was gone, joining Ryan on the makeshift guard tower. She pulled a 9mm Parabellum from a holster on her hip and made quick work of the remaining undead.

  Cat watched with her mouth agape as the women’s professional stance and cool attitude shone through. She must’ve served. Either army or police.

  Finally, the last shot died away, replaced by distant cries as Dee and Jonathan came running up. They stumbled to a stop and stared at the newcomers, including the girl child who clambered down from her seat in the truck.

  Dee shot Cat a look. “Who are these people? What happened?”

  Before Cat could reply, Aiden rounded the car and stopped a short distance away. “Dee?”

  Dee whirled around, her look of shock giving way to pure amazement. “Aiden? Is that really you?”

  He smiled so broadly Cat thought his face would split in half. “It’s me. With a few friends.”

  “I can’t believe it,” she replied. With a sob, Dee flung herself into his arms, and he swooped her up with a glad cry.

  Cat sucked in a breath before fumbling for her inhaler. A quick pull eased her anxiety, and she managed a shaky smile at the gathered people. “That went well, I think.”

  A smattering of chuckles rose, and Aiden put Dee down on the ground again, though he kept hold of her hand. “I guess introductions are in order?”

  Dee nodded. “Of course, but first, let’s get you guys inside, and the dead cleared away.”

  “Sounds like a plan. I’ll help you with the bodies,” Aiden replied.

  “So will I,” Liz said.

  “Okay, I’ll get the rest of you settled down,” Cat said. “Anyone hungry?”

  “Me,” cried the little girl, and Cat found herself smiling at the child.

  “I’ve got just the thing for you. How does chicken noodles sound?”

  “I love noodles,” the girl replied.

  The dark-haired girl stepped forward with a smile. “That she does.”

  “Excellent,” Cat replied, ushering everyone not on body duty toward the house.

  It didn’t take long to get the newcomers settled in and introduced all around. With the dead zombies cleared away, peace settled on the farm once more. After a light lunch, Dee and Cat got everyone assigned to a bed.

  The new girl child, Clara, quickly made friends with Lucy, Tessa, Juan, and Kerry. Cat found herself chatting with the serious-minded Vera and quirky Nikki on the veranda while Danielle fended off Jonathan’s attention with smooth finesse. He regarded the sudden influx of pretty teen girls as a boon and strutted his stuff till death, while Ryan was more reserved, which Cat attributed to his shyness around girls. Even he relaxed after a while, though, and struck up a conversation with Aiden.

  With the added manpower, a more lenient guard roster was drawn up, while Liz quickly put herself in charge of the house. Under her stern gaze, even Jonathan did his share of the chores, much to Cat’s relief. She’d also promised to teach them all how to shoot correctly, an added bonus.

  That night, they all gathered around a campfire to roast marshmallows, a rare treat for the kids. With light conversation and laughter doing the rounds, Cat found herself smiling more than she had in weeks. It felt to her as if they were forming a new family. A nucleus against the dangers clamoring at their doorstep. As she gazed from one face to the other, she reflected that while the apocalypse had taken much from her, it had also given back.

  “It feels good, doesn’t it?” Dee asked.

  “What?”

  “Hope. I finally have hope for the future,” Dee replied, leaning into Aiden’s side.

  “You’re right. I’ve forgotten what it feels like, but it’s here now. Here to stay,” Cat replied.

  “That it is,” Dee agreed.

  Juan waddled up, his face smeared with sweets. “Hug?”

  “Of course, sweetie.” He reached sticky hands toward her, and she gathered him into her lap with a grin. With his warm body nestled in her arms, Cat felt a pervading sense of peace. For him, she’d fight. Him and her new family.

  On impulse, she raised her coffee cup. “Toast anyone?”

  Everyone turned toward her, glasses raised. “Toast.”

  She cleared her throat. “To new family…and old.”

  “To family!”

  The Pledge - Chapter 6 - Several months later

  Cat glanced over her shoulder to make sure the undead were still following. A snarling face assured her they were. Though slow, they were relentless. Inexorable. They’ll outlast us all.

  The dirt bike’s engine rumbled between her thighs, its horsepower kept in check by the slow pace she maintained. She resigned herself to at least another thirty minutes spent trundling along in front of the mob of zombies she’d lured away from the house and its vicinity.

  Thank goodness her gear kept her warm. Winter was not the best time to be running around on the back of a bike, let alone as bait for man-eating piranhas. Tessa had laughed at her that morning, telling Cat she looked like a stuffed elephant.

  Cat grinned. Maybe she did with all the layers of clothing she wore underneath her chest plate, boots, gloves, helmet, knee-guards, and elbow pads. A girl had to keep toasty on a cold winter morning when the grass was covered in frost and the branches blackened by ice.

  A rasping groan drew her back to the present. The undead were getting close. Too close for comfort. Cat opened up taps and sped ahead, dodging the ever-growing potholes and trenches that marred the old tar road. After a while, she slowed again, settling back into a crawl. Her tummy rumbled, reminding her she had yet to eat breakfast. No matter. I’ll be home soon.

  She was lucky the crowd behind her was so small. Dee and Aiden had done most of the work the day before, drawing the zombies clustered around their home away to the North. Today, it was just her and Ryan, taking care of the remaining small pockets while Dee and Aiden went looking for a new battery for the bus. Tomorrow, if everything went well, they’d be on their way before the undead could find their way back.

  Her thoughts winged back over the past few months. They’d been lucky to have made it so far. Lucky to have each other. When Aiden showed up with Vera, Danielle, Nikki, Liz, and Clara in tow, it had been a joyous day. Not only did they have another kid to provide fun and laughter to the group, but also more fighters to keep the zombies at bay.

  Things had been good at first. The town was small. They were safe. Well-supplied. But then the zombies started to change. They became more active, tougher, harder to kill. They swarmed the fences and moved in crowds. Now, at last, they’d decided as a group to leave a
nd look for somewhere safer to live. I just hope we find it.

  The rumbling of another bike shook her from her thoughts, and she sped up. At a crossroads, she found Ryan waiting. Behind him was another small group of infected.

  He flashed her a thumbs up, and together they sped in the opposite direction heading for home. The undead were left behind to wander along for the next few days, though they’d eventually return. They always did.

  Back at the farm, Cat climbed off the bike and removed her helmet. Ryan removed his as well but didn’t get off his scrambler.

  “Are you going out again?” she asked.

  He nodded. “Yeah, I’m just going to make quick a round trip. Make sure the area is clear for all of us including Dee and Aiden.”

  “It should be. We’ve drawn most of them off yesterday already,” she protested.

  “I know. I just want to be a hundred percent sure there aren’t any surprises waiting for us out there. Besides, I like it outside. It sure beats gardening,” Ryan said, flashing her a grin.

  She returned his smile. “All right. I’ll tell Liz where you are.”

  “Thanks.”

  Ryan sped off in a cloud of dust, and she proceeded to take off her kit and store the bike. When she walked into the house, it was almost time for lunch. Once again, her stomach rumbled, reminding her she hadn’t eaten all day.

  Juan and Tessa were happy to see her, running over to greet her with glad cries and hugs. She squeezed the breath from their warm bodies and breathed in their scent before they ran off again to play.

  She made her way to the kitchen to take a whiff of the cooking pots. Liz was there, stirring something with a wooden spoon. It smelled delicious. “Not yet, young Catherine. Another half an hour.”

  “Aw, I’m starving,” Cat complained.

  “It’ll be worth the wait,” Liz replied with a stern look.

  Cat sighed. “Fine. I’ll wait outside where I can’t smell it.”

  The sun was warm, and she took the opportunity to soak up its rays, dispelling the winter chill from her bones. A sudden ruckus at the gates drew her attention, though, and she jogged over to spy a strange Land Rover parked in front of it.

  With a frown, she waited until she heard Dee’s voice carry across to her followed by Aiden’s. Mm. They must’ve found a new car.

  Without waiting any longer, she opened up but froze when she heard a voice she’d never thought to hear again. Ever.

  She gasped, and her heart rate sped up to the speed light. “It can’t be. It’s impossible.”

  A girl appeared from around the corner, her hair cut in a jagged style and dyed black with the blonde roots already showing. A tattoo peeked over her collar while turquoise eyes shone from a pale face. Piercings decorated her ears, brow, lip, and nose.

  Cat was suddenly thrown back to her school days. Warm summer days spent ditching homework in favor of more fun pastimes with her best friend in the world, one she’d thought lost to the zombies long ago. “Nadia?”

  The girl paused. “Cat? Is that you?”

  They ran at each other and collided in a warm embrace. For a brief second, Cat could almost pretend she was back home, back in the days before the apocalypse and life took so much from her. From them.

  Reality set in soon enough, but this time, it was tinged with the warmth of love and hope. A reality that though dangerous was all they had, and for once, that was enough.

  Bonus Short Story - A Second Chance

  Laura fought against the clawed fingers that pulled at her hair, clothes, and limbs and dashed up the stairs. Her last words to Vera still echoed through her head. “Live!”

  She paused at the top and turned. Through tear-filled eyes, she watched Vera disappear through the door leading to the garage with little Clara held tight in her arms.

  She knew she’d never see them again, never talk to them again. This was it for her. The end of the road. At least they got away.

  A harsh growl tore her attention away from the door and back to the zombie that was battling his way up the stairs to reach her. He led the pack, his eyes fixed on her with single-minded determination. His poor co-ordination and ragged limbs slowed him down, but he’d get there in the end.

  With a cry, Laura spun around and dashed down the hallway, her arms and legs pumping as she fled. Pure terror spurted through her veins, egging her on. As selfless as her act of sacrifice had been, she knew what was waiting for her. The pain as they tore into her flesh and ripped her limb from limb would be…incredible.

  A sob of horror escaped her lips.

  Still, she wouldn’t change what she’d done, wouldn’t go back and undo it even if she could. Vera and Clara were like family to her now, and they deserved a chance to live. Unlike me. I’m broken already.

  Laura reached the door at the end of the hallway and rushed inside. With frantic effort, she slammed the door shut and dragged a small dresser in front of it. She doubted it would keep the zombies out for long, but didn’t know what else to do.

  Within seconds, loud bangs filled the room, punctuated by rabid growls and roars. The door shivered in its frame. The dresser shook as it threatened to topple over. Terrified, she backed away, staring at the barrier as the wood splintered around the lock.

  Laura whirled in a circle, looking for an escape route. The windows beckoned, and she rushed over. With shaking hands, she swept the curtains aside and stared through the clear window at the dark grounds outside. A set of headlights caught her attention, and she pressed her hands to the glass. “Vera! Clara!”

  Relief poured through her veins as she watched them make their escape before she tugged at the latch that held the window shut. It wouldn’t move. It was wholly rusted into place and resisted all her efforts to open it. For a moment, she stood frozen, one hand raised in a forlorn farewell.

  Behind her, the sound of breaking wood grew louder. The dresser rocked on unstable feet, before toppling over with a crash. Laura yelped and abandoned her spot at the window, heading straight for the bathroom.

  Zombies poured into the area, their groans rising in pitch when they spotted her fleeing figure. She shut the bathroom door, pressing her back into it while her eyes roved for an escape route. They fell on the tiny window above the toilet.

  As the first set of fists banged on the flimsy barrier behind her, she clambered onto the porcelain bowl and swung open the window. The gap was tiny, but it was the only way out. Flinging herself headfirst through the opening, Laura wriggled her shoulders and torso until she was halfway there. The metal frame bit into her hips, bruising the flesh as she twisted and turned. At any moment, she expected to feel fingers and teeth biting into her legs. A shrill shriek escaped her lips as she struggled, fresh terror spurting through her veins.

  Suddenly, she was through, her legs slithering down behind her as she tumbled toward the ground. Her fingers grasped at the brick wall, and a sharp pain tore through her hand when one of the nails tore loose, but she failed to grab hold.

  Laura screamed as she fell from the second-story height. She managed to turn mid-air before landing on something soft and scratchy. Branches and leaves poked into her limbs as she thrashed to get onto her feet.

  Wriggling free from the thick bank of bushes that broke her fall, Laura paused to survey her surroundings. Her cries had drawn the attention of a group of infected who now stumbled toward her. Without waiting, she sprinted toward the wall and clambered over, landing on the other side with a thump.

  Her breath sawed in and out of her lungs with painful rasps, but she never stopped moving, running through the trees and brush as fast as she could. On and on, she went, slowing with time as her energy levels became depleted. Still, she never paused.

  Somehow, she found her way to the road and headed into town, tracing a familiar route. She knew of only one place she’d be safe now. One person she could rely on for help. Toward morning, she found an abandoned bicycle and picked it up.

  On two wheels, she sped through the streets
, the tires whirring on the tar. Infected whizzed past her; brief glimpses of their snarling faces imprinted themselves like snapshots from a different era. Arms reached for her but never grabbed hold. To Laura, it felt like she floated in a protective bubble.

  Once she reached the edge of the forest, she dropped the bike and tore into the thick foliage. Sticks and thorns scratched her face and arms. Her lungs heaved for air, and sweat trickled into her eyes. It was only through sheer willpower that she managed to keep going even though her muscles felt like lead. Almost there, almost there…

  Suddenly, a set of strong hands grabbed her arms, and she screamed again as she struggled against their hold. “No!”

  Then a familiar voice penetrated the fog of fear around her. “Laura? Is that you?”

  Laura sagged as all the strength left her legs in a rush. “Zee?”

  “Yes, it’s me.” Zee’s concerned face loomed above her, his dreadlocks swinging past his shoulders in an arc.

  “Thank God, I made it,” Laura said as she sagged to the ground. “Am I safe? Promise me, I’m safe.”

  Zee nodded as he bent down to help her up, his hands warm and comforting. “I promise.”

  She leaned heavily on Zee as they walked back to his home in the trees, barely making it up the ladder with her exhausted frame. The tree house was just as she remembered it. Safe and isolated. A haven.

  Zee quickly got a small fire going and put a kettle of water on to boil. As she watched, he moved around, tidying the space and preparing a bed for her from a pile of blankets in the corner. To her surprise, they were soft and clean.

  “Did you wash these?” she asked.

  “Yes, I did. See…I knew you were coming back someday,” he said as he handed her a cup of water followed by a mug of hot tea.

  She gulped down the water, soothing her raging thirst before accepting the hot beverage with gratitude. “You did? How?”

  “The aliens told me. They also told me I needed to get things ready for you and the others. You know, keep it clean and tidy. Make more room.”