“Really?” Clara said. “My mom not so much. She says everything rusts here because of the salt air and damp. She wanted my dad to move us away, but he likes the sea too much.”
Vera listened to the ongoing conversation with a sense of disbelief. The whole situation struck her as strange in the extreme. Not that long ago, she was basically catatonic, and now…well…look at her!
Despite her misgivings, Vera followed Laura’s instructions and soon they got onto a dirt track that wound up the side of a low mountain. Thick growth sided the road and overhanging branches cast them into a deep shade.
As they drove ever higher, Vera wondered what she’d gotten her and Clara into. Where’s Laura taking us? Is she crazy? Demented? More importantly, can I trust her not to kill us in our sleep?
These worries were forgotten for the moment when they reached the house, though. Nestled into the side of a steep slope, it was built on a massive stone ledge. A high fence cordoned off the property and a huge steel gate prevented further access.
Laura got out. “Here. Let me open for you.”
Vera watched as the girl scaled the gate with limber ease and switched the motor over to manual. She slid it open and waited until the truck was through before closing it again and flipping it back to automatic.
“There. That should hold it,” she said with a bright smile. “Though we can lock it later if we can find a chain and padlock.”
“Thanks,” Vera said, pulling up to the double garage next to the house. “This looks like just the place for us. It’s high up, secluded, and fenced in. Everything we need.”
“I told you,” Laura said with a broad smile. “Plus, it’s got a generator, a gas stove, and a borehole. Hot shower anyone?”
Vera went weak at the knees when she heard those words. How long had she been dreaming of a real bed to sleep in and warm water to bath with? Not forgetting a hot meal, either. Too long. That’s how long it’s been.
Vera opened the door and took a deep whiff of the fresh mountain air, tinged with a hint of salt from the ocean. “Clara, stay here for now. We’ll be right back, okay?”
“Okay.”
She climbed out and stretched her muscles, followed closely by Laura who squinted against the light. Together, they eyed the silent property with its lush green lawn and colorful beddings. An oasis to their tired eyes.
“I guess we’d better check for people. It might be occupied,” Vera said.
“I suppose, but I’m pretty sure it’s empty,” Laura replied.
“How do you know?” Vera asked, feeling for the gun at her side.
“Jason told me all about it.” Laura smoothed a lock of greasy hair back from her forehead. “He said it was the perfect place to ride out the zombie apocalypse.”
“Jason?”
“Yeah, he was stuck with me inside the shopping center for a while. We talked a lot. There wasn’t much else to do, at first.”
“How did he know about it?” Vera asked, curiosity stirring within her breast.
“This was his home. He lived here.”
“What happened to him? And his parents?”
A shadow crossed Laura’s face. Like a cloud passing the sun, all warmth leached from her features. “They’re dead.”
A cold sense of foreboding stole over Vera, and her next question came out as a rusty croak. “How did they die?”
Laura flashed Vera an indecipherable look. “I killed them. All of them.”
Chapter 5
Laura’s shocking revelation shook Vera to the core, but she forced herself to stay calm, aware of the fact that Clara was watching them from inside the truck. “Well, let’s check for people anyway, living and dead. You never know what might jump out at us.”
“That’s true enough,” Laura conceded. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned since this all began, it’s not to trust appearances.”
“Smart,” Vera replied as she took the lead.
Together, they searched the grounds and checked the fence before heading up the steps to the porch. The front door was locked, and Laura cast around on the ground for a rock.
“Guess we’ll have to smash a window,” she said.
“Wait, I’ve got a better idea,” Vera said, removing two bobby pins from her bun. With practiced moves, she picked the lock until the door swung open.
“Neat trick,” Laura said. “You’ll have to teach me how to do that sometime.”
“Sure.”
They walked into a brightly lit foyer that opened onto a large living room filled with comfy leather couches. Orange and red scatter cushions provided a pop of color against the polished wooden floors, and large windows let in plenty of light. This is getting better and better by the second.
A huge kitchen with a fully stocked pantry, double door fridge and freezer combination, gas stove, and breakfast nook had her squealing with delight. When she flicked on a light, it worked, much to her relief, and there was running water from the taps. Yes! Plumbing!
A set of stairs led to the second floor. This was equipped with three spacious bedrooms including the master, two bathrooms, and a study. Vera twirled in a circle inside the massive main bedroom complete with walk-in closets and a poster bed. Its bathroom even sported a spa bath and fluffy towels. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“It’s nice,” Laura agreed with a wistful note in her voice.
“You can have this room,” Vera said. “You brought us here, after all.”
Laura’s head shot up. “You’re sure?”
“Of course. There are two more bedrooms and another bathroom for me and Clara. We’ll be fine.”
“Thanks, that’s very sweet of you,” Laura whispered, blinking away tears.
“Let’s check out the garage,” Vera suggested, “and then we can get settled in.”
“Good idea. I can’t wait to get out of these,” Laura said, plucking at her blood-spattered clothes.
The garage proved to be empty except for the generator and a tank of diesel, and after unloading the truck, they locked it inside.
That night was the first time in days Vera felt like a real human being again. As hot water from the shower head jetted over her skin, she sighed with pure pleasure, shedding the cares and worries of the past days like a second skin.
Clara spent hours soaking in a bubble bath, and Laura disappeared into the master bedroom only to reappear again looking like a different person. Vera gasped when she saw her fellow teen. “Wow, you clean up well!”
Laura flashed her a shy smile. “Thanks. Not too bad yourself.”
Freshly bathed and dressed in clean clothes, they congregated in the kitchen where they feasted like kings. Laura whipped up a huge bowl of crunchy salad from the vegetable plot while Vera made her signature spaghetti bolognese. Though some of the fridge contents had gone off, much was still usable. With their hunger sated, sleep followed soon after, and they each sought their beds.
That night was the first of many. Every day, they ate well, bathed, tended to the gardens, tidied the house, and played board games before passing out in their beds.
The girls got along well, though Laura often went into a fugue of sorts, becoming cold and distant. At other times, she was almost manically cheerful before lapsing into depression again. Vera found it hard to trust her and wondered when she’d snap. If she’d snap.
Despite her niggling doubts, life was good. All thoughts of zombies faded and the apocalypse seemed far away. Even when the power grid failed, they had the generator and borehole to tide them over. Even so, she wondered how long it’d last.
One night, Vera got up at midnight, unable to sleep. She paced the room with restless energy until she gave up and padded downstairs. To her surprise, Laura was already there, nursing a cup of coffee.
“Can’t sleep?” Vera asked.
“Nope.”
“Want company?”
“Sure.”
Vera made herself a cup of coffee as well and settled on the chair across fro
m Laura. She hesitated for a second before asking the question that had been burning at the back of her mind all along. “Laura, what happened to you?”
Laura sighed. “Do you really want to know?”
“I…I just want to understand you better,” Vera admitted. “That day with the infected boy…”
“I frightened you, didn’t I?”
“Yes.”
“And what I said about Jason and his parents?”
“That too.”
“You shouldn’t be. Scared of me, I mean. I’d never hurt you or Clara. I just hate the infected, you know? They took everything from me. My family, my life, even my mind.”
“Your mind?”
Laura smiled, but there was a bitter cast to it. “Oh, yes. I’m well aware I’ve changed. I’m not normal, anymore. I’m not me, anymore.”
“Tell me what happened.”
“It’s simple really. I went to the shopping center looking for my family. I found them, hiding inside with all the other customers and staff. I was so happy to see them at first. Then…”
“Yes?”
“The days passed. One after the other. People began fighting until, at last, an escape plan was hatched. My father was part of it. He and a few others would lure the infected away so we could all make a run for it. It seemed like a good plan. Stuck in there, day after day, you wouldn’t know how that feels, how desperate a person gets.”
“No, I wouldn’t,” Vera admitted.
“Anyway, the plan failed. My father got infected as did the rest. They turned, and we had to kill them. Our own blood. But it was too late. The infection was inside, and it spread. We all turned on each other. Killing and killing and killing. Jason and I were the last, but he was sick too by then. Bitten by his mom.”
“Oh, my God. That’s terrible,” Vera said with a hand pressed to her lips.
Laura shrugged. “He begged me to kill him, and I did. After that, I waited. I guess I wanted to die. Until you came, that is.”
“I’m so sorry, Laura. I had no idea.”
“It’s all right. I don’t blame you for not trusting me. I’m not right in the head anymore. Not after all that.” Laura shuddered. “I spent days in there…alone but for the bodies and the blood. God, the smell. I’ll never forget the smell.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“There’s nothing to say. I can’t even cry about it. I’m dead inside, Vera. Dead or nuts. I don’t know.”
Vera reached out and gripped Laura’s hand. “Don’t do that. You’re not crazy. You did what you had to do and you’re stronger for it. You’ll make it, Laura. I know you will.”
The corners of Laura’s mouth lifted in a tremulous smile. “It’s nice of you to say that. Who knows? Maybe one day, I’ll be me again.”
“You will. Trust me,” Vera said before leaning back in her chair. “Now, how about some more coffee?”
“Sounds good to―”
The sound of shattering glass interrupted Laura, and they both whirled toward the sound. Leering faces pressed against the living room windows and corpse-like hands stuck through the glass, not caring about the jagged ends that cut into their flesh.
“Zombies,” Laura cried. “Tons of them!”
“Where did they come from?” Vera said. “The fence, the gate…how did they get in? What do we do?” Panic infused her brain until her thoughts ran around in never-ending circles.
Laura turned toward Vera and gripped her hand. “Get Clara. Just grab her and come back here as soon as you can. I’ll hold them off.”
“But―”
“Now!”
Vera ran up the stairs two at a time and burst into Clara’s room. Clara sat upright, rubbing her eyes. “What’s going on?”
“Shh, baby girl. Close your eyes, and hold on tight. Promise?”
Clara’s eyes grew wide, but she nodded.
Vera swept her up into her arms and rushed downstairs again. She gasped when she saw Laura straining to hold a bookcase in place across the broken window. Hands grasped around the edges, and undead bodies pushed against the flimsy barrier. “Laura, I’m coming!”
Laura looked over her shoulder, her face as white as snow. “No! Get to the garage. The keys to the truck are on the table.”
“What?” Vera shook her head. “I’m not leaving you.”
“There’s no choice. They’re everywhere.”
Another pane of glass shattered, and three zombies jostled for position at the new opening. Slowly, they pushed inside, wriggling their undead flesh through the gap. Clara screamed and buried her face in Vera’s shoulder.
“Go!” Laura cried. “I’ll distract them. It’s your only chance.”
Wordlessly, Laura shook her head.
“You have to.”
“No.”
“Do it for Clara.”
Vera looked at the shivering child in her arms, fighting against the knowledge that welled up inside. There’s no choice.
“No,” she whispered, though she knew the denial was false.
A thump sounded as the first zombie fell through the window to the floor. It snarled and struggled to regain its feet. Another followed. And another.
Laura threw Vera a despairing look. “Go now. Live. Live like I can’t. Not anymore. It’s too late for me.”
Vera suppressed a sob and nodded. She ran toward the dining room table and swept up the keys along with the remote to the garage doors and gate. The door connecting the living room to the garage was unlocked, and she paused with her hand on the handle. “I’ll never forget you, Laura!”
“Go,” Laura screamed, letting go of the bookcase. “I’ll lure them away.”
With those words, she printed toward the stairs, yelling and waving her arms. The zombies followed, and Vera slipped away unnoticed.
Inside the garage, darkness reigned. Vera found her way to the truck by feel and climbed inside with Clara still in her arms. Once the sobbing child was buckled in, she turned the key in the ignition. The truck roared to life, and she flicked the lights on, nearly blinding herself. For a second, she paused with her finger on the remote button. Laura. I’m so sorry.
But Laura wasn’t coming, and Vera knew she needed to go. She pushed the button, and the door lifted. Vera reversed out, then jammed it into first gear before roaring toward the gate. It was closed, and she slid to a stop.
Behind her was a crowd of zombies, illuminated in her brake lights. They turned toward her, sensing new prey. She pushed the gate button, but nothing happened. She pushed it again. Still nothing.
Her mind scrambled for answers, but she distinctly remembered Laura switching it back to automatic the day they arrived.“Work you stupid thing!”
The first infected reached the truck and hammered on the sides. Their unearthly groans filled her ears, adding to her panic. Praying for a miracle, she pushed it one last time. It worked.
With a sob of relief, Vera drove through the gate, leaving their home of the past few days behind. As she left, she noticed a gap in the fence. A gaping hole where the undead had pushed over a pole.
Why? She’d never know. Maybe it was a weak point, or the ground was softened by recent rain. All she did know, was that it had cost the life of her friend.
Tears streamed down her face as she looked at the house one last time. In one of the upper rooms, a figure stood silhouetted in the light shining from the window. The figure raised a hand in a silent farewell.
Vera sobbed in earnest now. “Goodbye, Laura.”
The figure was joined by others, swarming like ants, and was soon dragged from view. Vera looked away, clenching her hands on the wheel. I’ll never forget you. I promise.
Chapter 6
Vera hummed along to the song playing on the cd she’d pilfered from an abandoned car a few days before. The tune was catchy and reminded her of better days. Her hands drummed on the wheel in time to the beat, and little Clara flashed her an approving smile.
A warm breeze streamed through the h
alf-open window, and the sun was warm on her skin. Golden and bright. Everywhere she looked, the landscape was flat. Far different from the coastal area she’d abandoned after Laura’s death.
Untended wheat and maize fields streamed past as she drove, the road a winding grey snake that stretched into infinity. She adjusted the sunglasses on her face and ran her fingers through her hair, lying loose and free across her shoulders.
A smile hovered on her lips. She felt good. Better than she had in awhile. Laura’s passing had been a terrible blow, and in the days following, she didn’t think they’d make it. She was sure an equally terrible fate awaited them, and fighting against that fate was futile. Like an ant trying to resist the rain.
Her thoughts winged back to that night. Their desperate flight. Laura’s sacrifice. Driving blind for hours. Not knowing where to go. They’d stopped at last in the middle of nowhere and slept in the truck.
Sunrise found them tired, hungry, thirsty, and in shock. They’d wandered for days, fleeing from the undead wherever they went, and subsisting on the minimum of food and water they could scavenge.
But eventually, she’d found an abandoned farmhouse, and there they’d licked their wounds and topped up their supplies. That was when she had the dream.
It started out as a nightmare. Once again, she relived the night Laura died. What stood out, though, was Laura’s final words. “Live.”
When she woke the next morning, something had changed. The depression weighing her down was gone. In its place, was a rock-solid determination to honor Laura’s wish and live life to the full. No matter how short it might be.
They left the farmhouse with new hope for the future and made their way inland where Vera hoped the lower population would play in their favor. She still hadn’t found what she hoped would be their forever home, though, but was confident she would.
“Where are we going today?” Clara asked, breaking into her thoughts.
“Not sure, sweetie. We’re somewhere in the Free State, close to a town called Bloemhof.”
“What’s there?”
“No idea. It’s known for its fishing, though, and on the banks of a river.”
Death's Children (Book 7): Vera's Vow Page 3