The Living Dead Boy (Book 3): Journey Across Zombie Texas

by Rhiannon Frater

  “That boy should be in jail,” Teresa muttered. She’d arrived soon after Daisy had brought the kids to her parent’s home. A nurse at the local clinic, she’d been at the rec center tending to the evacuees when Daisy had called her home.

  “Did you fix him up, too?” Sam asked.

  “Yes, before I knew he’d beaten up on all of you,” Teresa answered.

  “I hate him,” Sam growled.

  “I hate him, too!” Teresa agreed.

  On the other side of the table, Danny sat with a towel wrapped around his neck. The tip of an icepack peeked out of the cloth. Troy’s dark skin was decorated with bandages with Spider-man on them. Glasses with ice water sat on the table, and Josh spotted a pitcher and an empty glass on the sideboard. He got up to serve himself and gulped down the entire thing. Still thirsty, he poured another before retaking his seat.

  A swinging door opened, and Daisy appeared. From the kitchen came the amazing smells of Mexican food cooking, and Josh’s tummy growled.

  “I’ve got to go back to work for another hour, then my shift is over. My abuela is fixing food, and I’ll be back for dinner. After we eat, I’ll take you over to my house. That’s where you’ll be staying with me and Nathan.”

  “Are you going to marry my dad?” Sam blurted out.

  Teresa gave Daisy a curious look, one eyebrow lifting.

  Laughing, Daisy ruffled Sam’s damp curls. “We’re friends, Sam.”

  Troy leaned over to hold his hand up to Sam’s ear and whispered, “Dude, that wasn’t cool.”

  “My dad is old. He needs to be married,” Sam protested.

  “Your dad is thirty-three years old,” Daisy said with a laugh.

  “See! Old!” Sam made a face again as Teresa treated a deep scratch.

  Daisy shook her head, looking amused. “Okay. You kids stay here. I’ll see you soon.”

  “Is it safe?” Danny asked.

  The Ortegas lived in a line of houses on a dead-end road. There was a barn behind one of the houses and chicken coops in the yard of another. A series of fences enclosed all the properties.

  “Yes. It’s safe. My dad and brothers are patrolling. The end of the road is barricaded. We’re safe.”

  Josh was impressed with how confident she sounded, but something in her eyes made him wonder if she really believed her words.

  After kissing her mother’s cheek, Daisy departed.

  “Are we really safe?” Troy asked Teresa.

  “Oh, yes. We’re ready for the zombies. We’ve been preparing for two days now. Plus, I got a shotgun in the kitchen.”

  Sam’s face lit up. “Cool! Can I see it?”

  “Oh, no. It’s not for children.” Sitting back on her stool, Teresa shooed Sam out of the chair before pointing at Josh. “You’re next.”

  Once settled into the chair in front of the nurse, Josh tried to ignore the nervousness he always got when visiting the doctor’s office. Teresa was very nice and looked a lot like her daughter. Only the lines around her eyes and mouth, and some silver in her dark hair, gave away that she was old enough to have adult children.

  “So this boy, Chad. He beat on all of you?” she asked, leaning over to clean Josh’s scrapes on his hands.

  “Well, some of it is from the school bus accident and the treehouse we hid in. And then there was the building that got crashed into and caught on fire. It nearly fell down on us,” Josh answered. “And the barbed wire fence we had to go over to get away from the zombies. And this old car we hid inside of during the hail storm. And then Chad.”

  “You’ve had some rough days,” Teresa said in awe.

  Josh nodded somberly. “We did what we had to.”

  “I killed a zombie,” Sam said excitedly. “With a shovel.”

  “Josh killed more than that,” Troy added, standing up for Josh.

  “I didn’t kill any, but I will when I have to,” Danny vowed.

  “And you?” Teresa looked toward Corina.

  “I shot one in the head,” Corina replied.

  Teresa’s eyes widened. “I see.”

  “She was going to shoot Chad, but Troy got in the way,” Sam blurted out.

  All the kids gave Sam a sharp look.

  “What?” he asked, confused by their reaction.

  “I wasn’t going to shoot Chad,” Corina said in a soft voice. “I can kill zombies, but not people.”

  “You have a gun?” Teresa sat up straighter, her face shifting from concerned nurse to full mother mode.

  “Chad had one. With no bullets. I got it away from him,” Corina said carefully.

  “But then we foun—” Sam started.

  Troy must have pinched him under the table because Sam gave him an angry glare.

  “Do you have it now?” Teresa asked.

  Josh thought of Corina’s tote bag, and tried very hard not to look at it.

  “No. I threw it into the field when I realized if I kept it I’d end up killing Chad. I don’t want to be a killer. I don’t want to kill people,” Corina said, tears brimming in her eyes.

  Softening, Teresa said, “Oh, honey. I understand.”

  “He wouldn’t leave us alone! He just kept coming after us! He kept trying to say I’m his girlfriend! He wouldn’t stop!” Corina grabbed her tote bag and dashed out of the room.

  Teresa started to rise to follow, but the door to the kitchen swung open and Dulce darted out. A quick exchange between Dulce and Danny in Spanish followed, then the older girl ran down the hall after Corina.

  Clearly unsure what to do next, Teresa sat on her stool with medical tape stuck to her fingers and a fresh gauze pad in her other hand. Josh could see all the questions in Teresa’s eyes, but he didn’t want the adult to follow Corina. He had a suspicion Corina had left to avoid Teresa searching her tote for the gun.

  “Teresa, my elbow really hurts,” Josh said. “I think all the skin is scrapped off.”

  “Oh, sorry, hon. Just worried for your friend,” Teresa said, returning to her task.

  “Chad sucks,” Sam said, smacking the table with his fist.

  “The zombies should’ve eaten him,” Troy mumbled.

  Danny lowered the towel, revealing the fingertip-shaped bruises on his throat. “Yeah. But slowly. Real slowly.”

  “Well, you boys are safe now. You don’t have to worry about Chad or the zombies,” Teresa reminded them.

  Silence fell over the group as Troy and Danny looked toward Josh with questions in their eyes. Only Sam didn’t seem to realize that Josh’s quest wasn’t over. Once they had a chance, the Zombie Hunters would need to discuss their next move. No matter how nice Daisy’s family was, Josh knew they wouldn’t be allowed to leave.

  They’d have to escape.

  Chapter 10

  Josh peered into rooms until he spotted Corina and Dulce through a partially open door. The teenage girls were huddled together on the bed whispering. The room was filled with antiques and old black and white photos hung on the walls. He suspected it belonged to Daisy’s grandmother.

  Hearing the door open all the way obviously startled Corina from the expression on her face when she looked up. Relieved to see him, she waved him over.

  “What’s up?” Josh definitely felt like he was intruding on something personal, but he was anxious about the location of the gun. They’d definitely need it for when they escaped.

  “Just talking about stuff,” Corina answered.

  “Where’s the…” Josh hesitated, stealing a look toward the hallway.

  She answered by pointing down.

  At Corina’s feet was her tote bag. His gaze drifted toward it.

  Leaning over, Corina opened the bag, shifted aside a bottle of water and revealed a box of maxi-pads. The sight of the box made his heart clench. It reminded him of the shelf in the bathroom cupboard that belonged to his mom. He’d been fascinated as a little kid with her cosmetics, lotions, and hairstyling things. Being a girl was a lot more complicated than being a boy. He missed his mom so much
it was like a knife cutting through his heart.

  Corina pointed to the box and widened her eyes.

  Josh understood.

  The gun was safe and in a place people wouldn’t look.

  Dulce’s dark eyes watched him thoughtfully, but she didn’t say anything.

  Sitting next to Corina, Josh exhaled slowly.

  “Do you have a plan yet?” Corina whispered.

  Josh shook his head. “No.”

  “We need to talk to the others. Give them a choice,” Corina continued.

  “To be fair,” Dulce added.

  “You don’t want to go?” Josh asked Dulce.

  “Maybe. I speak with Daisy’s abuela in the kitchen, and it’s good here. Safe. And they speak Spanish.” She added the last part with a wink.

  “You know, you do speak English really well,” Josh said. “You don’t have to be embarrassed.”

  “Kids make fun of me,” Dulce answered, shrugging.

  “Yeah, but they can’t speak Spanish, so they suck for making fun of you.”

  Dulce smiled. “Like Chad.”

  “Exactly like Chad.”

  “You’re good boy. And leader,” Dulce said in a more serious tone, waving toward the boarded up window. “But it’s scary out there.”

  “I get if you want to stay here. But I can’t. My dad and brother are alive and I gotta try to reach them.” Josh hesitated, his gaze darting nervously to Corina. “Are you gonna stay?”

  “No way. Not with Chad here.” Corina shook her head adamantly.

  It stung a little that she wasn’t leaving because of her friendship with him, but Josh understood how much she hated and feared Chad.

  “Besides, Josh, I don’t know for sure that my mom is dead. Maybe she’s on her way to an evacuation site. You know?”

  Josh nodded.

  “And I do like your family. Plus, you need me.” Corina grinned. “Right?”

  “Well, you can shoot a gun, ride a motorcycle, and kill zombies, so...”

  Rolling her eyes, Corina elbowed him. “I’m totally the coolest girl you know. Other than Dulce. She totally flattened Chad.”

  “He’s not good,” Dulce declared. “He’s bad. Very bad. And stupid.”

  Sobering, Corina said, “I don’t think he’ll give up, Josh. Teresa told Chad where we were before she found out he’s the reason we’re all beat up. She thought he was a concerned friend. He totally played the pity card with her.”

  “When did she say that?”

  “When she was stitching me up. She told me that my boyfriend was worried about me.” Corina winced.

  “I should hit him harder. With a truck,” Dulce muttered.

  The knot in Josh’s stomach that never seemed to go away since the zombies appeared clenched tighter. “He’s a jerk and a liar. I won’t let him hurt you again.”

  Corina adjusted her glasses on her nose, and sighed sadly. “There are zombies out there in the world, but Chad is scarier.”

  “Just like all the zombie movies and shows. Some of the people are worse monsters,” Josh agreed.

  “Zombies are worse,” Dulce corrected him. “They eat you.”

  Corina swept her braid over her shoulder. The fragrance of the shampoo drifted through the air. It was the brand his mom had used, and tears blinded him unexpectedly. Seeing his watery eyes, Corina wrapped one arm around his shoulders. “Josh, it’s okay. We’re going to outsmart Chad and find a way to get to your dad. I promise.”

  Annoyed, Josh wiped at his eyes. “Sorry. I just missed my mom so much all at once.”

  Corina bent her head to rest her cheek against his. “I know. I miss mine, too.”

  Josh clung to her, grateful for the comfort. The mattress moved beneath him as Dulce joined the embrace, her hand patting his head.

  “This is so gay!” Sam said from the doorway.

  “This is so not gay,” Troy corrected him. “And being gay isn’t bad. It’s just different. That’s what my dad says.” The smaller boy joined the other kids on the bed.

  “Your dad is dead,” Sam reminded Troy.

  Troy scowled. “Yeah, I know, turd-for-brains. You don’t need to remind me.”

  “That was uncool,” Danny pushed past Sam to sit on the corner of the bed.

  Sam’s face flushed with anger, turning bright red. Then he appeared to inwardly catch himself before he had a tantrum, and his shoulders slumped. “Yeah. You’re right. Sorry. Josh, you’re not gay. I’m sorry your dad died, Troy. And your brother. And your mom.”

  Troy raised his eyes to the ceiling, but didn’t snap at Sam. “Thanks, Sam.”

  “Still not cool, dude,” Danny said, shaking his head. “He knows his family is dead.”

  “Sitting right here,” Troy said, exasperated.

  “I’m not used to having friends, Danny!” Sam answered defensively. “Josh and Troy used to hate me.”

  “But now you’re our friend,” Troy assured him. “Even if you still say stupid stuff.”

  “My dad says that I need to think more before talking.” Sam lowered his head, embarrassed.

  “That’s advice you should follow, dude.” Danny gave Sam a stern look. “Seriously.”

  “I’m glad you found your dad, Sam,” Josh said, deliberately changing the subject. “That’s pretty cool.”

  “Yeah. I know! But he says my mom is missing. She might be dead like your mom. But she doesn’t like me, so...” Sam trailed off.

  “She doesn’t like you?” Danny frowned. “‘Cause you say dumb stuff?”

  Sam shrugged. “Maybe? I don’t know. I didn’t even see her leave. Dad says when she left she told him she didn’t want to be a wife and mother anymore. That it’s not personal. But it feels personal to me.”

  Josh had heard that Sam’s mom had left town to go study at a university, but he hadn’t realized she wasn’t coming back.

  “Wow,” Troy said, eyes wide. “That’s harsh.”

  “Maybe she likes me a little. She talks to me on the phone once a week, but doesn’t want to visit me, or for me to visit her. That’s what she says.”

  “Sam, I didn’t know. I’m so sorry,” Corina said, obviously meaning it.

  Sam fidgeted. “If my dad marries Daisy, do you think she’ll like me, Corina?”

  “I think Daisy is just your dad’s friend, Sam.”

  “My mom is probably dead, too. Just like yours, Corina.” Sam sat down heavily on the bed, his wide shoulders hunched.

  “I hate to say it, dude, but probably all our mothers are dead,” Danny said sadly. “And most of the people in our families.”

  Troy nervously adjusted his baseball cap on his head. “It’s the zombie apocalypse. Bad stuff is gonna happen. People are gonna die. Adults are gonna do stupid stuff. Bad people are going to make trouble.”

  “Like Chad.” Sam’s voice was filled with hate.

  “Yeah.” Troy made a face. “Like Chad.”

  “It sucks that he’s here in town. I hate him. So much.” Sam flopped back on the bed, making it jiggle. “I wish we could make him go away.”

  Josh stared at the boarded up window, despair filling him. It was going to be very hard to escape the house. In a whisper, he said, “I’m still going to San Angelo. Somehow. I’m going to go to the airlift.”

  “Really?” Troy asked in surprise.

  “But we’re safe here!” Sam protested.

  “Keep your voice down, Sam,” Corina hissed.

  “Sorry,” Sam muttered. “But we’re safe here.”

  Josh knew Sam had a point, but he was determined. “I know you want to stay here, Sam, but my dad and brother are waiting for me.”

  “And I’m not staying here because of Chad, and Josh needs me,” Corina said.

  Troy remained silent.

  Danny looked toward Dulce, then asked her a question in Spanish.

  Dulce shrugged.

  “Are you going to go?” Sam asked Danny, panic settling into his eyes.

  “We’re not sure. We
’ll think about it,” Danny replied.

  “But you can’t leave! You’re my friends now! I’m a Zombie Hunter!” Sam protested, but at least he was mindful to keep his voice down. “We’re a team, and you can’t go.”

  “Sam, we’ll still be friends. But I want to be with my dad and my little brother. I know I can make it to San Angelo. I just have to make a plan.”

  “But it’s safe here.” Sam sulked. “You have to stay.”

  “Sam, you can’t tell anyone we’re going, okay?” Corina said, concern in her voice.

  “Yeah. If you tell we can’t be your friend anymore,” Troy added.

  Tears running down his cheeks, Sam whispered, “I won’t tell. I’m a Zombie Hunter now, and I won’t do that to you.”

  “Thanks, Sam,” Josh said, clasping his heaving shoulder. “You’re a good friend.”

  Sam sniffled. “Maybe...maybe...I should go to.”

  “Your dad is here,” Corina reminded him.

  “But Chad is going to kill me,” Sam wailed. “He said so.”

  “Your dad isn’t going to let that happen,” Josh assured the scared boy.

  “My dad won’t believe me. He doesn’t know how bad Chad is.” Sam wiped his tears away on the borrowed shirt he was wearing. “Maybe I should go with you.”

  “I think you should stay here,” Corina said in a gentle way. “Your dad is going to believe you. I promise.”

  A shadow fell over the bed and Josh started. In the doorway was Nathan. “Hey, there you are. Time to eat.”

  Sam bolted across the room and into his dad’s arms.

  Startled, Nathan held his son close. “Hey, buddy, it’s going to be okay.”

  “No, it’s not. There’s zombies!”

  “I know. But we’re going to be okay. I promise. C’mon. Let’s clean up your face, and wash your hands for dinner.” Nathan guided Sam out of the room and down the hallway.

  “Is he going to tell?” Danny asked.

  Troy frowned. “Sam will totally break under questioning.”

  “So we don’t give anyone any reason to question him until we’re gone,” Josh said. “We act like normal kids in the zombie apocalypse.”

  “Scared?” Troy asked.

  “Totally.” Josh glanced at Corina and she gave him an approving look. “Scared kids. Glad to be rescued. We’ll plan later on.”