“Here’s your damned garden key,” yelled Rich as he stormed up the stairs.
Allen picked up the small key and examined it, his brow furrowed in confusion. “The hell is this?” he asked Connor.
Connor had no idea where the key had come from, but he thought he heard the sound of laughter from a room upstairs. Maybe they will surprise me.
CHAPTER FOUR
Another week passed without incident and Connor was forced to admit that he had overreacted about the zombie shot up with arrows.
“Does this mean I can join you and Phil again?” Juliet asked. “We’ve been training every day the past week. I’m sure I can handle myself better than last time.” She had that cute, innocent look, where her eyes were wide and full of wonder that Connor had a hard time refusing. He still remembered her panic when she came upon the zombies, the way she froze up. That was no reason to keep her from going. She had done fine for it being her first time. She would overcome her fears through experience, not training.
“Alright, fine.” Her smile was too infectious for Connor to keep a straight face. “Rus said he saw a large herd of zombies heading this way a couple of days ago. We could use the extra hands if they show up.”
Later that night, Connor went into Phil’s room to gauge how he would feel if Juliet joined them again.
“How you doing?” asked Connor. Phil was sitting on the edge of the bed, sharpening his knife. He was in his pajamas—a pair of gym shorts and a t-shirt. An old novel lay beside him on the bed.
“I’m good. Never can keep this bad boy sharp enough, you know?” Phil flashed the knife in front of Connor in a blur.
“What are you reading?” The cover of the book was too faded to tell.
“1984,” Phil gave a half-hearted chuckle. “I think I might have preferred Orwell’s dystopian future over our own. At least there, there is a sense of normality, and you can actually pick up food at the store, even if you are being constantly recorded and have no privacy.”
Connor wasn’t sure how to respond. Phil had always been a more intellectual person than him. Connor hadn’t come to talk about novels or theories on dystopian futures, though. He wanted Juliet to come with them, but he also wanted to keep his brother happy. If there was some way to merge the two, he had to try.
“I wanted to talk to you about something—”
“It’s cool. I overheard you talking. Bring her along.” Connor couldn’t tell if Phil was upset or not. Phil sharpened his knife, seemingly placid.
“Are you sure?” Connor watched his brother carefully for any sign that he might be lying.
“Yeah, it’s cool. It’s lucky that you two found each other. Maybe one day we’ll come across my high school sweetheart while we are walking down the road.”
“Phil, you never had a high school sweetheart.” Phil laughed. Girls didn’t go for the nerds in high school. Even if they did, Phil had been so focused on his studies, on getting into a good college, that Connor doubted he would have noticed.
“Well, maybe we’ll come across another one of yours.”
“Maybe so.” Connor gave Phil a pat on the shoulder as he left the room. “Good night, Phil.”
Juliet was sleeping so peacefully, Connor almost didn’t wake her. Her blond hair fell across her face and she seemed to glow. When the grogginess of sleep turned to excitement, he was glad he did.
“I can’t wait to get out there. I’ve gotten pretty good with the catch pole,” she said, eyes wide. Connor leaned in and gave her a peck on the lips.
“Actually, we’re not going to the woods today. You can see the other half of what we do; we’re searching for supplies. Phil has something he wants us to pick up.”
“That’s great! What are we searching for?”
“I don’t know. He said it was a surprise. He was being awfully mysterious about it, which means it has to be something big.”
Connor waited downstairs with Phil while Juliet dressed. They had a quick breakfast and were out the door before the sun was fully over the horizon.
The ride was quiet. The roads were empty and peaceful, leaving everyone alone with their thoughts. Connor tapped the steering wheel while he drove, counting the reflectors dividing the road into two sides. Nowadays, he drove down the middle of the road, the reflectors an invisible track that guided the truck. They had taken the truck because Phil said they would need the extra space for hauling.
Phil gave vague directions, only speaking when a new turn was approaching. He stared out the window, deep in thought. Connor was sure that he was planning out whatever lay in store. They passed through the center of town. Connor remembered the drive through town when the virus first came to Anderson. It had been chaos in the streets. Many of the cars were still sitting where he had last seen them, their owners long gone. Some of them might even be buried in the moat or down in the pit. Connor tried not to think about that. Every now and then, he would see a zombie with such prominent features that he couldn’t help but recognize them. Those were the hardest ones to catch. It helped to not think of them as people.
Connor felt Juliet’s hand on his shoulder. In the rear-view mirror, he could see her green eyes staring back at him. He was glad to have her along. He held her hand in his, feeling its warmth course from the tips of his fingers throughout his body. His mind drifted to their kiss in the woods. To Juliet’s lips. Connor wanted more kisses like that.
“Take a left here,” said Phil, bringing Connor back to reality. Connor realized where they were going.
“What are we doing here?” he asked.
“It’s the old glass factory,” Phil said, like his point was made.
“I know what it is. Why are we here?” Connor gave Phil a blank stare as he pulled the truck to a stop outside the gate. The large warehouse was surrounded by a chain-link fence. Phil cut the lock with a pair of bolt cutters and they were inside.
“Think about it, Connor. Last year, what happened during the winter. We ran out of the vegetables we had preserved and had to delve into our storage. With two new people living with us, the food will go faster than ever. I don’t want to use our rations this year. I want to build a greenhouse. I want to have fresh vegetables and fruits all winter long.” He beamed with pride. Connor had to admit, the idea was brilliant.
“That sounds like a great idea,” said Juliet, responding with equal enthusiasm. “Do you know how to build a greenhouse?”
“Of course, it’s pretty simple really. We just need the glass and to find a way to connect it all together. We have the tools. We can find lumber easy enough. We’ll need a way to vent the air, but other than that, it is a pretty basic design. Greenhouses have been around for hundreds of years. Once it’s built, then we just watch everything grow.”
“Can I ask you something?” asked Connor.
“What is it?”
“Why not use a plastic greenhouse? Wouldn’t it be easier?” The idea of building a structure when they could just get some clear plastic seemed like a stretch.
“It’s about long term. Plastic fades, it cracks, it’s not durable. Glass greenhouses can last a lifetime. And that’s what I want here, Connor. I want us to build it once and reap its rewards. It’s time to stop just getting by. We need to make things better.”
Phil was excited about the idea. Connor could see it in his face and the way he waved his arms animatedly with every point. It was a good idea. If they could get it up and running in time, it would be a game changer.
They had to break off the doorknob to get inside the factory. Inside, what little light passed through the old, dirty windows cast shadows from the giant machinery. Connor felt small beneath the giant rollers and tall furnaces that towered over them. Dark alleys lay between each massive structure. Phil handed Connor and Juliet flashlights. Their beams pierced through the darkness, illuminating what looked like the engine room of some futuristic spaceship.
“I never knew it took so much machinery to make glass,” Connor said. The factory floor
loomed before them, the size of several football fields. Many large pieces of glass were still on the assembly line, stuck mid-production. Glass plates the size of a living room waited to be sized and cut.
“What’s the plan here, Phil?” asked Connor. He didn’t like the idea of wandering around in the dark in an unknown place. There were no signs of zombies, but there was no such thing as being too careful.
“We need to find their shipping department. We want the glass that has already been cut, the smaller the better for what I have in mind.”
Juliet held Connor’s hand tight as they walked through the factory, searching for the shipping department. Broken glass glittered in the flashlight beams. One giant pane had fallen off the line, shattering across the floor. The glass crunched beneath their boots.
“I think I see it,” said Juliet, pointing her flashlight to an area filled with boxes and metal shelves. Hundreds of panes of glass were stacked neatly, ready for the taking.
“It’s going to be heavy and fragile, and the edges will probably be sharp.” He tossed Connor a pair of gloves. “Juliet, I want you to be our guide. We are going to carry this out, and I need you making sure the way is clear so that we don’t break any of the glass.”
The glass was deceptively heavy as they carried it across the warehouse. Once it was in their hands, there was no stopping until they reached the truck. Any shift in the angle sent the top panes sliding. They lost two panes on the first trip, the shatter echoing through the empty warehouse. Outside, Connor spotted two zombies that had gathered at the gate.
“We’ve got company. How many of these do you think we will need?” Phil noticed the zombies. Connor was in a hurry to get the glass and get out. He hoped to avoid the zombies entirely, if possible.
“A few more trips. We need enough in case we break a few. We have time to finish before they get here if we hurry.”
In an effort to move quicker, they lost several more panes of glass on the next trip. The shattered glass made it more difficult to balance each new load. After three trips, the group of zombies was half a dozen and they began to spill through the gate. Phil had not closed it after they drove inside.
“Two more loads,” Phil said calmly, his eyes towards the fence. “Two more loads and we should be good.”
The next load was heavier than the others as they tried to make up for the glass they had shattered. They moved slow and steady, anxious to be done. Juliet guided them along the path, avoiding heavy machinery and support beams. Connor felt the tiny shards of glass crunching beneath his boots. Halfway there, he thought. Connor adjusted his grip on the glass and felt his boot slide on the broken glass beneath him. He tried to steady himself, but his foot shot out from under him, sending him to the concrete floor with hundreds of pounds of glass falling towards his head. He shielded his face with his arms, blocking the glass and guiding it to the floor with a shatter. Every pane broke and millions of tiny pieces of glass surrounded him.
“Connor, are you okay?” asked Juliet. She looked over his body, worried, inspecting him for injuries.
“I’m fine,” he said, sitting up. The tiny specks of glass itched on his skin.
“Screw it,” said Phil. “Let’s get the hell out of here. We’ll make do with what he have.”
Zombies stumbled across the empty lot to where the truck was parked. The mob had doubled in size while they were inside.
“Connor, you have to be careful. We can’t afford to break any more glass on the drive home,” said Phil. Juliet gripped Connor’s shoulder, offering her support in the only way she could at the moment. The glass panes had been strapped down the best they could, but any sudden shift could shatter them all against the bed of the truck. He would have to avoid the zombies without making any sudden movements.
“You got this,” Juliet whispered. Her voice soothed him as he slowly rolled forward.
The truck approached the first of the zombies and they swarmed it, their rotten hands beating against the windows and streaking the glass with decayed flesh and blood. They beat their fists and chomped their teeth, hungry for those inside. A handful of zombies gathered around the front of the truck. Connor pushed onward, and two of them fell beneath the wheels. He felt the bump as the truck drove over their undead bodies, causing the glass panes to rattle.
“Close one,” said Phil. He peered through the back window. “The glass is still in one piece.”
They were at the gate now. Once outside, it would be smooth sailing. The only problem was that there were still half a dozen zombies blocking the exit. They shambled towards the truck, joining the others that groped and groaned to get inside.
“Stop the truck.” Phil was checking the ammo in his pistol. “I don’t like to do this, but I think this is an exception. Cover your ears.”
Phil rolled the window down, causing the zombies to frenzy. The gunshots echoed through the cab. Zombies fell to the ground, allowing Phil the space he needed to open the door. He kicked it hard, sending several zombies to the ground. Connor watched as zombie heads exploded, sending red mist into the air. In less than a minute, the zombies were all dispatched. Phil pulled their bodies to the side of the truck and the path was clear.
“Such a waste of bullets,” Phil said as he pulled on his seatbelt. “Sometimes, it’s just the price of doing business.”
CHAPTER FIVE
Connor tapped Juliet on the shoulder, trying to wake her without alerting the house. She smiled at him and mumbled something unintelligible.
“Want to go watch the stars?” Connor asked.
Juliet wiped the sleep from her eyes. “I would love to.”
Connor carried a blanket in one arm and wrapped the other around her. She clung to him in the cool night air, her fingers grazing up and down Connor’s side. He knew he would pay for the lack of sleep tomorrow, but when Connor woke in the middle of the night, thinking of Juliet, he couldn’t let the moment pass by. A beautiful summer evening under the stars waited for them. Behind the garage, Connor laid the blanket down. Juliet fit perfectly into the recess of his arm and they looked at the stars, which shone brilliantly in the clear, dark sky. Trees rustled in the distance, and the soft hiss of the undead on the other side of the wall was the only reminder of the chaos of the world.
“They’re beautiful, right?” Connor asked. He pointed in the air and traced the outline of the Big Dipper with his finger. “I think sometimes we forget that there are still a lot of wonderful things in the world. You just have to take the time to look for them.”
“You’re such a romantic, Connor McCoy.” Juliet turned and nuzzled Connor tighter. Her hair was soft against his skin, her body warm and inviting.
“Can I ask you something?”
“What is it?” Juliet snuggled closer.
“Do you think your dad really wants to leave?” The possibility of Juliet leaving was the silent wedge they had not discussed, but they couldn’t ignore it forever.
“I don’t really know. Maybe he’s just afraid of becoming dependent on someone else again. I don’t want to leave, though. I enjoy being here with you.” Juliet propped herself on her elbow and leaned in to kiss Connor.
Connor’s body went warm when her lips touched his. He felt blood rushing to all parts of his body and the night air no longer seemed as cool. Juliet moved her leg across him, straddling him, gripping his shirt and pulling Connor closer to her. Her tongue melted into his and Connor felt his pants tighten. He cupped her bottom and pulled Juliet hard against him. She bit his lip and Connor felt his body tingle all over.
“It’s nice to have some alone time,” he whispered.
“It is.” They made out as the night passed. Neither one sure who would make the first move. After a break, where they both looked longingly at one another, Juliet kissed him again, running her fingers against his soft, buzzed hair. She kissed Connor on the lips and worked her way, one kiss at a time, down his neck and across his chest until she found his belt buckle. With a little effort, it came un
clasped and she pulled his pants down to his knees. When she pulled his briefs over his bulge, she gasped at the sight of his manhood. It was large and throbbing when she took it in her hand.
Connor looked down at Juliet, her blond hair hanging across her face. He shuddered as she stroked him, tiny sparks fluttering through his body. She kissed the tip of his manhood, and he threatened to explode then and there. Connor had been in high school the last time he had any kind of sexual encounter.
Juliet took him in her mouth. She was warm and welcoming and in that moment, Connor thought he could die happy. Her hand gripped him firmly as she moved her mouth up and down, edging him closer to release. She looked at Connor as she sucked him, her green eyes never leaving his own. This made him harder and before he could stop himself, he spilled himself in her mouth. His body went stiff as he was unable to fight the release.
Juliet continued to suck him, his fluids and saliva running out of her mouth and over her hands, down his shaft until every bit of him was spent.
Connor lay there, covered in his juices as Juliet leaned in to kiss him. He could taste himself on her lips.
“I’m sorry it was so quick, but it’s been a long time since…and you…you were amazing.” She kissed him again.
Connor wiped himself with his shirt and tossed it to the ground. Juliet could see the goosebumps on his body in the cool night air. He leaned over her, cradling her head in his hand as he guided Juliet onto her back. He squeezed her midsection, causing her to inhale deeply. His touch was a fire that left everywhere he touched in a slow burn. He gradually ran his hands down her side and began to trace the outline of her pants with his fingers. It still amazed her how his touch could be so delicate.
As they kissed, his hands slowly delved deeper into her pants. Inch by inch, Juliet begged for his touch. She knew she had soaked her panties, her body wanted Connor as much as she did. His hand ran through the soft hair of her mound and found the sweet spot of her clitoris. The touch she had longed for sent shivers through her body and she gasped in pleasure.
Undead Love: Not Alone Page 4