“It looks pretty quiet,” said Henry, as they parked outside of Nora’s grandmother’s house – a small bungalow nestled between two very old willow trees.
Nora opened the passenger door. “It always looked this way.”
There were no vehicles parked near the house, which I figured was a fairly bad sign. “Sorry, Nora, I don’t think he’s here,” I said, getting out of the truck.
“Yeah, I know. I don’t either,” she said, walking toward the front door. “But that doesn’t mean he won’t show up at one point. I’ll leave him another note, tell him that we’re going to the Mall of America.”
“Just hold up there, toots,” said Henry, shuffling toward her with his shotgun. “Let me go in first, in case there are any uninvited guests. I’ll introduce them to my double-barrel.”
“Henry, we got this,” said Nora, walking up the stairway to the porch.
He followed her. “And I’ve got the gun, now step aside.”
Sighing, Nora moved out of the way and Henry put his hand on the doorknob.
“It’s locked,” he said.
Sighing, Nora stepped off the porch and then went around the back of the house. A few seconds later, she returned, holding a key. “Grams always kept a spare under the birdbath,” she said with a sad smile.
“Smart woman,” said Henry.
Nora slid the key in and unlocked it. Then she stepped out of the way.
“Just stay behind me,” ordered Henry. “And you’ll be safe.”
They stepped into a small, cluttered living room.
“Your grandma liked fairies?” asked Henry, staring at the two large glass curios containing dozens of small figurines.
“Wow,” I said, glancing toward several shelves that contained fairies of every shape, size, and color.
Nora nodded. “That’s why she didn’t freak out when I got my fairy tattoo. She actually thought it was cool.”
“Sounds like your grandma was pretty hip,” said Henry.
“She was,” said Nora. “It’s just a shame that she was frightened of the outside world.”
“What do you mean?” asked Henry.
“She had Agoraphobia,” said Nora. “She was afraid to go anywhere beyond this house.”
“I once knew someone with that phobia,” said Henry. “It was weird, though. The woman never mentioned it until I called her for a second date – said it had flared back up and she couldn’t leave the house.”
I thought he was joking and had to bite back a smile when I noticed he was dead serious.
A noise from somewhere in the back of the house startled us.
“Sounds like a zombie,” whispered Henry, when they heard it again – a loud, gurgling moan. “What’s back there, Nora?”
“Dammit, that’s my bedroom,” whispered Nora.
Henry raised his gun. “Stay behind.”
We followed Henry down the hallway until we reached Nora’s bedroom. He put his hand on the door and took a deep breath.
“Get ready,” I whispered to Nora.
He threw open the door and we all gasped in horror.
“Oh, my God,” choked Nora as she stared at the gruesome scene. “Daddy!”
Her father, who I knew only from his album covers, was lying on the bed, his lifeless eyes staring up at the ceiling. Standing over him was Nora’s grandmother, snacking heartily on his entrails. She turned, and when she noticed us gaping at her, dropped her meal.
“Stand back!” hollered Henry, pointing the rifle.
“No!” hollered Nora, pushing him away.
“Nora, it’s not really your grandma anymore!” I yelled as the creature shuffled toward us.
Sobbing, Nora took out her knife and went after the zombie. With a quick jab to her forehead, Nora stabbed the zombie and it fell face-forward onto the ground. “I’m sorry,’’ she whispered, going down onto her knees. She turned her grandmother’s still form over, wiped the blood away from her mouth with a blanket that had fallen, and closed her eyelids. “I’ll never forget you, Grams,” she said, swiping at the fresh tears on her cheeks.
“God, Nora,” I said, feeling my own eyes fill up. “I’m so sorry.”
She didn’t say anything. Instead, she stood up and walked over to her father. “He came back for me,” she said, her lips trembling. She reached over and grabbed a blanket, covering his mutilated torso. She then ran a hand over his long, dark hair and smiled bitterly. “I can’t believe it.”
“He did,” said Henry. “See, Nora, your dad loved you.”
She nodded and closed her father’s eyelids. Then she kissed the top of his head. “I loved you, too, dad,” she said.
All three of us stood there in silence for a while, until Nora cleared her throat. “Okay. Enough of this; being a sniveling sap isn’t going to help matters. Let’s go.”
“Okay,” I said.
When we got back out to the truck, she stared at the house and her eyes filled with angry tears once again. “My fault, you know. I should have checked the basement.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
She laid her head back on the headrest and closed her eyes. “Before I left for Atlanta. I knew she’d gotten the flu shot – she’d told me that a nurse had come to the house and given it to her earlier in the week. Well, when the zombies started waking up all over town, and I couldn’t find Grams at the house, I assumed she’d turned and just walked away in search of food. But, I didn’t check the basement.”
“You couldn’t have known,” I said.
She let out a ragged sigh. “But it had bugged me later, after I left the house. I almost went back to check but then I was in too much of a hurry.”
“It’s not your fault,” said Henry. “Don’t go blaming yourself for any of this.”
“Yeah, but he’d obviously been searching for me when she killed him.”
“Of course he was,” he said. “Because he loved you, Nora. But don’t you, for one second, think that any of this was your fault, including his death. He let his guard down and that’s not something any of us can afford to do. Especially when nobody is around to watch our back.”
She wiped her cheeks and sat up straighter. “I know, it’s just that we were so close to finding him. If we wouldn’t have wasted so much time at the church, but,” her face darkened, “that asshole Travis and his sidekick, Dweeb. As far as I’m concerned, it’s their fault that my father died the way he did.”
“Well, they did slow us up a bit,” said Henry, taking out his can of chew.
She tapped her fingernails on the side of the door and nodded. “Yeah, if I ever see those two evil assholes again, I’m gonna send them where they belong. To Hell.”
“Hey, let’s hope we don’t,” I said. That Travis really scared the hell out of me.
“But if we do,” she said. “I’m going to make sure they pay heavily for threatening the lives of those kids and slowing us down. They’ll be begging me for mercy before I’m done with them.”
“Oh, Nora,” chuckled Henry. “Chances are we’ll never see them again.”
“Probably not, but there’s always hope,” she said, closing her eyes.
Funny how the things we hope for can come back to haunt us.
22
Bryce
“They’re back,” said Tiny.
Kristie, who’d fallen asleep in a recliner, opened her eyes. “Which ones?” she asked, standing up.
“Paige and Bryce,” he said, staring out the window. “Looks like Paige has… oh wow… a baby.”
“A baby?” gasped Kristie. “What the hell? They weren’t even gone that long!”
Tiny chuckled and followed her out of the house.
Kristie stormed over to Paige and pointed at her. “First of all, young lady, I am so pissed off with you right now I could just scream.”
“Chill out, mom, and look at what we brought you,” smiled Paige.
Kristie’s face softened as Paige handed her the baby. “Where did you find this little one?” she a
sked in a softer tone.
“Long story,” said Bryce, moving next to Kristie. The baby stared up at him and her lip began to tremble.
“Back away from the baby,” said Paige. “You know she doesn’t like you.”
“She does so like me,” said Bryce, scowling.
The baby started crying and Bryce stalked away.
“See,” said Paige. “You scare her, karate man. Just keep your distance.”
“Oh… it’s okay, sweetie,” cooed Kristie. “Aren’t you just the cutest little thing?”
The baby stopped crying and smiled up at Kristie, whose heart immediately melted.
“So, can we keep her?” asked Paige.
“Well, babies are a lot of work, honey,” said Kristie. “And they need a lot of attention. I just don’t know...”
Bryce rubbed a hand over his face. “Hello! It’s not like we can just drop her off anywhere. Obviously, we’re going to have to keep her.”
“You are crabby, aren’t you?” chuckled Kristie.
“You would be too if you had to risk your life getting diapers and formula. I didn’t expect to do that this soon in life. It’s very… sobering.”
“Hey, where’s Billie?” asked Tiny.
“He must have fallen asleep again,” said Bryce. “He was bitten by a zombie.”
“What!” snapped Kristie.
Bryce went over the events as they unfolded, starting with finding Paige in the SUV.
“You think he’s going to change into a zombie?” asked Tiny.
“I really don’t know,” said Bryce. “He was feverish and in a lot of pain. Fortunately, he didn’t lose as much blood as I originally thought.”
“What should we do?” asked Kristie, staring toward the SUV.
“I don’t know. I have enough things to worry about. This is your call,” said Bryce.
“Just keep a close eye on him,” said Tiny. “We’ll take turns watching him. After what happened to that crazy broad, Eva, I’m not taking any chances.”
“And don’t forget about Austin,” said Paige. “He blew up your gas station.”
He sighed. “That’s right. We can’t afford to take our eyes off of him. You guys with me?’
“Definitely,” said Bryce. “In fact, I’ll take the first shift.”
“Let’s get him into the house,” said Tiny.
“You’re grounded, by the way,” said Kristie, placing the baby on her shoulder and bouncing her gently.
Paige frowned. “You can’t ground me, mother.”
“The hell I can’t.”
“I’m eighteen.”
“Then act your age and quit adding more trouble to our situation. You put yourself, as well as these guys, in more danger when you snuck off like that.”
“If it wasn’t for me, Billie might have died and the baby as well!”
“Paige –”
“No!” hollered Paige. “Quit treating me like I’m some kind of princess! I’m a grown woman, with opinions, a temper, and a hell of a right hook.”
“Yes, I know,” said Kristie, “but –”
“No buts, mother. Look at me! I’m not a little girl anymore. In fact, what I am is… a soldier, one who’s killed more people in the last few weeks than a freaken’ serial killer would in a lifetime, and I don’t know about you, but I’m handling it pretty damn well.”
“Yes, honey, I know. I just don’t want anything happening to you. I’d never forgive myself.”
“Nothing will. Look, I wasn’t born yesterday and I’m not going to put myself in a situation I know I can’t handle. You just have to have a little more faith in me, mom. Seriously.”
Kristie sighed. “Fine, but no more lying or sneaking around.”
“And no more sheltering me from the world,” said Paige. “Not only is it annoying, but it’s degrading.”
“I’ll try, really I will. I just don’t want to lose you.”
“You won’t,” she said, softening her voice.
Kristie stared at her intently and then sighed. “Fine. You’re growing up and there’s nothing I can do to stop it. Look, I’ll ease up on you and even give you a little more space.”
“I guess that’s all I can ask,” she said, walking back toward the house.
Kristie shook her head and looked at Tiny. “You know, when I was a teenager, all my mother had to worry about was me sneaking off to go to a party or getting knocked up by one of my dates. Hell, that’s nothing compared to this shit. I have to worry about my daughters sneaking off like freedom fighters in the middle of the night, and whether or not they took the right weapon to bludgeon a damn zombie to death. And now,” she said, looking down at the baby in her arms. “Another little princess has been delivered to my doorstep. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.”
“Sounds like someone above thinks you’re a pretty good mother,” said Tiny, putting an arm around her.
“Or he’s making me pay for all the hell I raised when I was a kid. Is that it, honey?” she asked the baby, who was stared up at her. “Is this my penance for all the trouble I gave my own mother?”
The baby grinned.
***
“Let me guess,” said Billie, who was lying down in the guestroom of the house, “you’re my babysitter.”
Bryce sat down on the floor and leaned his head against the wall. “We just want to keep an eye on you, bro. Just in case.”
“Just in case,” smirked Billie. “Well, it’s kind of unnerving, you know. Everyone keeps looking at me like they don’t know me. Like I’m going to turn on them and rip their throat out.”
He opened up a bottle of water and took a sip. “You’re overdramatizing everything. They’re a little worried, but they still care about you, man. Just chill out.”
Billie closed his eyes. “This is a nightmare. I just can’t believe one of those things got to me.”
“Yeah, it was a bad scene. I’m sorry I took so long on the boat.”
“It wasn’t your fault,” he said, opening his eyes back up. “I slipped and fell. End of story.”
“But still…”
“Look, Paige was right there and she couldn’t stop it from happening either. The zombie was fast, man.”
Bryce took another sip of his water and noticed the sweat on Billie’s forehead. “You okay? You want something to drink?”
“Actually, yeah. I’m parched. I think I need some more aspirin, too. My fever must be coming back in full force.”
Bryce stood up. “Okay,” he said. “Don’t go anywhere.”
Billie closed his eyes. “I’m not planning on it.”
Bryce left the room and walked to the kitchen, where he found Tiny staring out the window. “What’s up?”
“I don’t want to go freaking anyone out,” he whispered. “But I think someone’s out there. And I’m not just talking zombies.”
Bryce moved to the window and looked out into the backyard. “What did you see?”
“I saw movement. By the shed.”
Both men stood staring out the window, when they heard Kristie scream.
Tiny bolted out of the kitchen and down the hallway to the living room.
“Tiny, oh my God, he took the baby!” cried Kristie, who was alone by the front door.
“Who?” asked Bryce.
“Billie! I was rocking her in the chair when he rushed out of the bedroom, snatched her out of my arms, and then took off running outside.”
Bryce ran out the door and toward the dark street. Hearing the baby’s cries, he turned toward the sound and in the distance he could see Billie’s silhouette.
“Billie!” he hollered, racing toward him.
Billie ignored him and kept running.
“What the hell, Billie?!” he yelled again, the distance between them getting shorter. “Stop!”
Just then, a vehicle turned the corner and headlights lit up the road. Billie stopped running and turned back to face Bryce.
“What are you doing, man?” asked Bryce,
stopping a few feet away.
Billie’s eyes were bloodshot and his skin was almost a grayish color. “Have to bring him the baby. Have to bring him the baby. Have to…”
“Whoa,” said Bryce, holding up his hands. “Just calm down.”
The vehicle, a Honda Odyssey, stopped and the doors flew open.
“Bryce!” yelled Cassie, rushing toward him.
“Thank God,” sighed Bryce, as she threw herself in his arms. He closed his eyes and released a ragged sigh.
“Billie?” smiled Nora.
“Wait! Don’t go near him!” yelled Bryce, opening his eyes. He turned to her and held out a hand. “Nora, please, don’t get near him, he’s been bitten and is starting to act crazy.”
Nora’s face fell. “What?”
Henry slammed the door of the truck and slowly walked toward them. “What’s that?”
Nora took a step forward. “Billie?”
“What are you doing with that baby, Billie?” asked Henry, spitting out a wad of chew.
Billie stared at them, his eyes wild and his face covered in perspiration. “I’m… I have to take her to him… all the babies have to be found and taken to him.”
“Who’s him?” asked Henry.
Billie opened his mouth, but instead of answering, began running with the baby again.
“Billie!” hollered Nora, taking off after him.
Bryce and Cassie quickly followed suit.
***
Billie ran, clutching the baby tighter. He didn’t exactly understand why he felt such an overwhelming urge take her south, or who “he” was, but the desperation seemed to consume him.
“Stop, Billie!” yelled Nora.
Nora.
His muddled mind cleared slightly and his heart began to swell. He stopped and then turned to find himself looking down into her eyes.
God, he’d missed her.
“Give me the baby,” she demanded, holding out her arms.
“No, I can’t. I have to do this.”
Swearing under her breath, she reached out and tried to grab the baby herself.
“No!” he growled, backhanding her.
She fell to the ground and then quickly got back up. “You asshole,” she snarled, “nobody hits me! I don’t care how many times we’ve made out!”
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