by Max Brallier
She keeps her head raised and begins walking with the scientist—her first few steps shaky. Then, suddenly, she turns and runs back to you. She throws her arms around you, tight, like she’s trying to squeeze the life out of you—maybe take a little bit of it for herself, to hang on to.
“I’m going to die now, Jimmy,” she says.
There’s not much to say to that. You hug her, then push her away. “I’ll see you, Iris. Sooner than later, I’m sure.”
“Good.”
Then they lead her down the street, toward the California Pacific Medical Center campus. People watch. Some lean out the windows, cheering. It seems everyone knows what’s happening, realizes the importance of this moment.
And you?
You’re done.
Free.
You had planned for the beach. The house, where you’d sit and do nothing but drink yourself to death.
But now—now you think maybe you’ll climb back in the El Camino. Head back east. Find the man named Boss Tanner. And slice the skin from his bones.
THE END
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS—
AND A FEW THOUGHTS . . .
So . . . this was a difficult project—I’m just gonna go ahead and throw that out there. The first Can YOU Survive was well received and has become a bit of a fan favorite (I say, quite humbly). So when the idea of a sequel came up, I was intrigued (writers are always intrigued by paychecks!). But I had little interest in, basically, remaking the first book. I wanted to take this someplace very different. It sounded easy. It was not. And that fully caught me off guard. I wanted this new thing to feel pulpy, old-fashioned: a loving nod to my favorite films and stories of the seventies and eighties—but I never wanted it to feel archaic or antediluvian (big-word alert—thanks, Apple Thesaurus!). I wanted it to be mean and tough but never simply mean. And for me, that was a tough tightrope to walk. Was I successful? In parts, I think, yes. But in other sections, I’m less than sure. But that’s the process, that’s the game, and I suppose that’s the risk.
In getting this thing to the finish line, I had a lot of help from a lot of great people. First, my editor, Ed Schlesinger. Other editors, too: the book wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for all the maestros who handled this project prior—thank you all! Also . . . Wesley Ryan, my consultant for all things military. Matthew McArdle, for a great many things—particularly for listening to me sing (many times) my quite lame Jimmy El Camino theme song, but more importantly for plot help, story aid, and some great notions. Christopher Mitten, for illustrative goodness, and for just being a generally really nice and solid guy. My parents and my sister, as always. And last but furthest from least: my wonderful wife, Alyse Diamond, for brutally honest feedback and anxiety-squashing back rubs. Love you.
MAX BRALLIER is the author of more than thirty books for children and adults, including the middle-grade series The Last Kids on Earth, the sci-fi adventure Galactic Hot Dogs, and the acclaimed Can YOU Survive the Zombie Apocalypse? Under the pen name Jack Chabert, he is the creator and author of the Eerie Elementary series for Scholastic Books, as well as the author of the New York Times bestselling graphic novel Poptropica: Book 1: Mystery of Map. Max lives in New York City with his wife, Alyse, who is way too good for him. Follow Max on Twitter @MaxBrallier.
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Gallery Books
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This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2016 by Max Brallier
Illustrations copyright © 2016 by Christopher Mitten
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First Gallery Books trade paperback edition August 2016
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Cover art by Alejandro Colucci
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Brallier, Max, author.
Title: Highway to hell / Max Brallier.
Description: First Gallery Books trade paperback edition. | New York : Gallery Books, 2016. | Series: Can you survive the zombie apocalypse? ; 2
Identifiers: LCCN 2016006456 (print) | LCCN 2016008054 (ebook) | ISBN 9781476765679 (paperback) | ISBN 9781476770376 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Zombies—Fiction. | Horror fiction. | Choose-your-own stories. | BISAC: FICTION / Action & Adventure. | FICTION / Horror.
Classification: LCC PS3602.R344455 H54 2016 (print) | LCC PS3602.R344455
(ebook) | DDC 813/.6—dc23
LC record available at http://lccn.loc.gov/2016006456
ISBN 978-1-4767-6567-9
ISBN 978-1-4767-7037-6 (ebook)