The words snapped Lisa back to reality, and she followed behind the boy, his friend, and Cat. Together they ran toward the truck, each moving as fast as they could. The two boys, being young and fresh, pulled ahead of Lisa and Cat, each of whom had their own injuries to contend with.
Nadia was running their way, but she slowed to a stop while still a distance away and took aim with her gun. She took a few steps to the side, careful to keep her friends out of the line of fire, and fired.
Lisa looked over her shoulder and saw a trio of zombies hot on their heels. They’d escaped the petrol bomb and were determined to reach the girls. They might have succeeded, fast as they were and injured as Lisa and Cat were, but Nadia was an excellent shot.
The front runner, a man in a suit, fell to the ground with a screech. As a bonus, his flailing limbs tripped the undead woman next to him. Two more shots took the third zombie, a teen girl, down as well, and she collapsed like a porcelain doll, still wearing her stained yellow dress.
Lisa nearly sobbed with relief as a lead opened between her and the rest of the pack. She didn’t look back again, concentrating on putting one foot in front of the other, instead. Her lungs heaved for oxygen, and her legs grew numb as she pushed them harder than she ever had before. Nearly there. Just a little bit further.
Ahead of her, the two boys and Cat reached the safety of the truck first. Nadia hovered, jumping from one foot to the other while she waited for Lisa, firing the occasional shot to keep the zombies at bay. The moment Lisa reached her, Nadia joined her in the race toward safety. “Come on, girl. It’s not far now.”
Lisa flashed Nadia a grateful smile. “I hear you.”
They reached the vehicle within a few more seconds, and Lisa yanked open the driver door. She was about to jump behind the wheel when Cat shouted. “Wait. Flat tire!”
Lisa froze, pure shock rooting her to the spot. A flat tire? How in God’s name was that even possible? “What?”
Her mind flashed through several scenarios, none of them good. She let go of the door and ran toward Cat who pointed at the back wheel. It was flat all right. Right on the rims.
Lisa reached a decision and barked out several commands:
“Cat, lay down some blanket fire with that AK-47 of yours.”
“Nadia, you too. You’re our best shot.”
“Boys, help me change the tire.”
Cat and Nadia nodded, their faces grim as they prepared to keep the zombies at bay for as long as possible. Cat took a solid stance, her gun set to fully automatic as she prepared to lay down a rain of fire.
Nadia climbed onto the hood, giving herself a better vantage point as she prepared to cut down anything that got close enough to bite.
The youngest boy nodded in response to her barked command, and Lisa took that as a yes from them both. She headed toward the back of the truck where they kept the spare, praying for speed. This would be the fastest wheel change in zombie history.
She paused, however, when the older boy called out to her. “Ma’am?”
“What? There’s no time to was―” she exclaimed before he interrupted her.
“It won’t help to change the tire, ma’am.”
“Why not?” she demanded as anger flushed her cheeks with hot blood. “So help me, God. If you don’t cooperate, I’ll wring your scrawny little ne―”
“It won’t help to change just one, Ma’am. Both are flat,” the boy said with a straight face, pointing at the other back wheel as well.
Lisa’s gaze followed to where his finger, and her heart dropped into her boots when she realized he spoke the truth. Both tires were gone. As flat as pancakes.
She sank to her haunches next to the nearest, her eyes falling on the vertical slit that adorned the rubber on the side. Slash marks. The tire had been slashed, sabotaged.
The awful truth of their position sank in, and Lisa briefly closed her eyes as she tried to gather her thought. “Oh, shit. What do we do now?”
“I suggest you run, ma’am,” the teen boy suggested, his face every bit as blank and expressionless as before. It did not inspire confidence.
“Run where?” she demanded. “I don’t know the area.”
“Maybe not, but we do,” he replied. “We can take you to a safe place.”
Lisa stared at him, wondering if she could trust him. Were they really there to help? Where did they come from? Who had slashed their truck’s tires and why?
But time was running out, and Lisa had no choice but to trust them. Both Nadia and Cat were blasting away at the oncoming horde from the civic center. At the same time, they were alerting every other zombie within the city of their whereabouts. Within minutes, the entire area would be flooded with the undead. They’re my responsibility. It’s my job to keep them safe.
With her mind made up, Lisa jumped to her feet. She opened the back door of the truck and snagged her bug out bag. “Nadia, Lisa, grab your stuff. We’re hoofing it.”
The two girls joined her with quizzical looks.
“What’s wrong?” Nadia asked. “We can keep them off while you change the tire.”
“Maybe while I change one, but what about the second?” Lisa said, pointing to the back wheels before slinging her bag to her back. “Somebody slashed our wheels, sabotaged us.”
Nadia and Cat stared at the offending tires with astonishment until Lisa prompted them to hurry. “Move it, girls. We’ve got incoming.”
The undead from the civic center appeared over the rise, and Cat and Nadia made haste to grab their stuff.
“Ready?” Lisa asked.
“We’re ready,” Nadia said.
“Go ahead,” Cat answered.
“Then lead the way, little dude,” Lisa told the teen. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”
His lips quirked in a semblance of a smile. “Follow me. I’ll keep you safe.”
Chapter 6 - Nadia
Nadia grabbed her pack from the truck and swung it onto her back with controlled haste. In it was everything she needed to survive for the next few days. Food, water, soap, a change of clothes, a blanket, an extra magazine for her gun, a spare knife, matches, a flashlight, first aid kit, solar charger, and the phone with all her saved music on. With that, she could do pretty much anything and go pretty much anywhere.
Lisa and Cat had likewise grabbed their stuff and now stood ready to go. All eyes were on the older of the two teens, and Nadia hoped they weren’t making a mistake by trusting him. Sure, the two boys had helped out earlier, but that could’ve been a ruse. A way to earn their trust.
“This way,” he said, bolting down the street at a pace the girls were hard-pressed to match. Or, at least, Lisa and Cat struggled to keep up with their various injuries. Lisa, especially, had taken a nasty fall, and Nadia suspected it was guts and adrenalin alone that kept her going.
Nadia took up the rear, deciding it was the best place from which to keep an eye on everyone. That and keep the zombies off her friend’s backs. They need me now, more than ever. I’m the only fully functioning one left.
Nadia shook her head as she considered their situation. Lost, injured, on foot, and packing light. At the mercy of strangers. Their position was precarious at best.
And who the hell had slashed their tires? Nobody had gone near the truck while she stood guard. She’d made sure of that. So that left only the period of time in which she’d abandoned their vehicle to help Cat and Lisa.
It was a small window of opportunity, but there it was. Whoever had sabotaged their car, was watching them closely. Very closely. Could this have anything to do with that boot print? Or is it someone working with the boys?
Nadia soon forgot these thoughts while they ran after the teens, though. Their route required all her concentration. It was both labyrinthine and secretive, cutting through the heart of the suburbs.
It led in a fairly straight line at first, before ducking off the street and through a hole in a fence covered by a loose board. By that point, they’d lost the c
ivic center zombies, but there were plenty more to hide from, all drawn by the sounds of gunshots.
After crossing an abandoned yard, they climbed another fence, crossed a stretch of dusty ground, and zigzagged down yet another suburban street. It was easier to run than fight, and they left a slew of confused infected in their wake.
At one point, they climbed a ladder and followed a route laid out on top of a series of interconnecting garden flats. This was Nadia’s least favorite bit, and she’d balked at first, refusing to cross over.
After getting to the top of the roof, a thin wooden board was the only way forward. It was laid across the gap between the two neighboring flats. It so happened that Nadia suffered from a debilitating fear of heights. To top it off there were zombies down below, wandering around. A few still wore their pajamas. One was dressed as a gardener. The previous owners? Workers? Who cared? Not Nadia. A zom was a zom.
She eyed the flimsy board and shook her head. “Nope, no way. I’m sorry, but no go.”
“You have to cross it,” the older teen insisted.
“No.” Nadia’s refusal was flat.
“I’ll show you how. It’s easy,” the younger teen said, running across the gap with the agility of a monkey.
“I don’t care how easy it is for you. I’m not doing it,” Nadia replied when he returned, folding her arms and taking a step backward.
“Why not?” the older teen asked. “It’s the only way to safety.”
“Maybe so, but I’m not doing it.”
“Nadia, please,” Lisa asked, her voice hoarse with pain.
Nadia eyed her and spotted the telltale signs of a person barely holding it together. “Are you okay, Lisa? Do you need to rest?”
Lisa shook her head. “I don’t want to rest. If I sit down now, I’ll never get up again. I just want to get wherever it is that we’re going.”
Nadia sighed, guilt causing her to reconsider. She looked over the edge of the roof, judging the distance to the ground. Her stomach lurched, and she turned away, feeling dizzy.
A small hand closed over hers, and her eyes popped open, startled. The younger boy looked up at her, his gaze soft. “I know you don’t like heights, but the trick is not to look down.”
“Really? That easy, huh?” she asked with a slight smile.
He nodded, his expression utterly serious. “Just imagine there’s something wonderful waiting for you on the other side. Like a pizza. I imagine stacks of pizzas.”
“Mm, clever. Okay, squirt. I’ll give it a shot,” Nadia said, giving in before the boy and Lisa’s pleading looks.
The entire conversation had taken place in hushed tones, and the zombies below were as yet unaware of the food above their heads. Nadia prayed it remained that way as she tried to nerve herself to do it for Lisa’s sake. The rest of the group crossed over one by one until she was the only one left.
She edged over to the board, looked ahead and imagined a massive piece of chocolate cake waiting for her on the other side. Her foot edged forward, and she took a step. Then a second step, and a third. When she took the fourth one, the board sagged, creaking loudly.
Nadia’s mouth dried up, and she froze, halfway between the two flats. Below her wandered an old lady zombie in cotton pajamas and tattered slippers. The remains of her dog lay not far away, a grim reminder of the old lady’s new eating habits. The granny zombie lifted her head and sniffed. The creaking board did its job, and the infected old lady looked up, spotting Nadia. Her decayed lips peeled back from ruined teeth, and she reached for Nadia with yellowed nails and hideous snarls.
Nadia swallowed, her mouth dry, and her heart banged so hard against her ribs she thought it would burst free. The younger boy now called to her. “Hey, what did you imagine?”
“Huh?” Nadia blinked, confused for a second.
“The thing waiting for you over here. What is it?” he said.
“Oh, um.” Nadia wet her lips with the tip of her tongue and said, “Cho…chocolate cake.”
“Sounds yummy. What does it look like?” he asked, his hands beckoning her forward.
“Don’t you know what a chocolate cake looks like?” Nadia asked with a frown. She took another step. The granny zombie’s snarls below her faded to background noise. Like a television that was always on but never noticed.
“Of course, but everybody’s is different. What does yours look like?” he asked. “Mine would have chocolate icing and glazed cherries on top.”
“Yuck,” Nadia said with a mock shudder, taking yet another step. “I hate icing. My cake has caramel spread on top and chocolate flakes. Maybe a few fresh strawberries.”
“My mom made one like that once,” the boy said. “I didn’t like the strawberries.”
“Yeah? What a coincidence,” Nadia replied, her legs moving of their own accord.
“I had a lava cake once. That was awesome,” he said.
“What’s a lava cake?” Nadia asked as she took the last step, shocked to find she’d made it all the way across without even noticing. “What just happened?”
The younger boy grinned at her. “See? Easy as pie.”
“Wow. You’re really something, you know that?” Nadia said with a grin. “Say, what’s your name?”
“Samuel,” the boy said, “but you can call me Sam.”
She stuck out her hand. “Nadia.”
Sam pointed at the older boy. “That’s Ralph. He’s not very talkative, but he’s very good at escaping zombies and bad people. My older brother.”
“Nice to meet you, Ralph,” Nadia said.
“Whatever,” the older boy said. “Just keep up, or we’ll be forced to leave you behind.”
“Fine, go ahead. I’ll be right behind you, little dweeb,” Nadia said.
He rolled his eyes, but stuck to his word, leading them across the network of rooftops before descending to the ground once more. With Sam’s help, Nadia made it across intact, and a deep sense of gratitude toward the young boy filled her heart.
From there on it was smooth sailing, a quick two-block run until they stopped in front of a bland nondescript house. It didn’t look like much, but Nadia immediately noticed the thick, high walls that surrounded it and the sturdy gate guarding the way inside the property.
Ralph flourished a hand at the entrance and spoke with exaggerated flair. “Welcome to your new home. We hope you enjoy your stay.”
He led the way inside, and Nadia fervently hoped it wasn’t a trap, though she’d come to like little Sam. Please, let this be a safe place for Lisa and Cat. They need this. We need this.
Chapter 7 - Jay
Jay leaned against the rough bark of a small pine tree and tugged at the packet of cigarettes in his pocket. He lit one and took a deep drag, savoring the acrid burn in his lungs. Though not a habitual smoker, he felt the need for a hit of nicotine. It fizzed through his nervous system, adding to the euphoria he felt at that moment.
He had much to celebrate, after all. Not only had he escaped the massacre of his old camp with a handful of other Ravagers, now his loyal guards, but after weeks of searching, he’d finally found Cat.
It had taken days of combing every small town and city in the vicinity of his old base, branching out in ever-widening circles. At last, one of his men spotted the girls leaving their old hideout, a small bed&breakfast, and alerted Jay via ham radio.
Jay set off in pursuit, following the girls all the way from the North Cape to the Free State. There wasn’t much of a difference between the two places. Each province was a dry, dusty shithole in his opinion. Both got too little rain and too much sun, the climate resembling that of the bowels of hell itself.
“And the mosquitoes,” he growled, slapping at one of the offending parasites as it buzzed around his neck looking for the perfect spot to land. He couldn’t imagine living in a place like this, preferring the cooler areas around the coast. It was an argument he’d often had with his brother who was too lazy to move camp to better climes, preferring to lounge ab
out in luxury, instead, while his big bro did all the work. “Poor Paul. Always thought he was better than me, smarter than me. Now, who’s the loser? I doubt being a mindless, flesh-eating zombie is lots of fun, but at least Laura can keep you company.”
Jay took another drag of his cigarette before dropping it and squashing the stub beneath his toes. Smoke curled from his lips as he focused on the window before him. It faced toward the back of the house, away from the street, which was why the girls hadn’t bothered covering it. They felt secure. Big mistake.
Through the flimsy gauze curtain, he watched Cat move around the kitchen as she prepared dinner for the three of them, her movements graceful and her face serene. She was as beautiful as ever.
He detected a slight limp, though, and wondered when she’d been hurt. He hoped it wasn’t permanent. It wouldn’t do for his new queen to be a cripple. A Ravager Queen has to be strong. Fighting fit.
“What are you doing here, Kitten?” he asked, calling her by his pet name for her. “What brings you to this miserable place? Are you looking for someone?”
She turned toward the window, and her chin lifted as she gazed through the curtain. He stood stock still, drinking in the perfection of her face. For a minute, he allowed himself to imagine that their eyes were connected, that they shared a moment. Then she turned away, and the feeling passed.
Jay spent another two hours watching Cat as she laughed, ate, and talked. He enjoyed seeing that side of her, the normal, happy, girlish side that she revealed to her friends. He was jealous too and vowed to get rid of her so-called besties as quickly as possible.
Especially, Nadia, that bitch. The one who had infected his camp, killing hundreds of his people within hours. It hadn’t taken him long to figure it all out. The kiss, the bites, the way the men turned not long after, and the fact she wasn’t dead or a zombie herself all pointed to one thing. She was a carrier and used it as a bioweapon against his people. “I’ve got something special planned for you, little girl. I’ll make you suffer. That’s a promise.”
Children of the Apocalypse: Mega Boxed Set Page 134