Arik’s stomach rumbled. “I’m hungry.”
Charles kept his eyes on the road. “We’ll stop for supplies. You keep eating everything.”
“I’m a growing boy!”
“I could have sworn you were a grown man.”
Arik looked to the side. “Whatever. I need energy.”
Charles slapped the air next to him. “Yeah, to run away!”
Arik came back with a solid nod. “A quick escape is the best way to survive.”
My mind wandered away from the senseless rambling, and I thought of Zach. So what if they were lovers? I could get him back; I only had to remind him of what we had. With a shake of my head, I cut off those thoughts. If he loved Jessie, then I’d never be a home wrecker. Plus, Jessie and I were best friends forever; we’d never betray each other. Still, I hated myself since Jessie had him on a silver platter. I put my face in my palms and growled.
“Tiffany, what’s wrong?” Charles glanced over his shoulder. “That’s the closest you’ve come to speaking in days.”
“Nothing’s wrong.”
“I miss Kiki too...”
I closed my eyes. “Can we not talk about her?”
Inside, I forced my thoughts elsewhere.
It hurt I no longer had Zach’s backpack, which meant I didn’t have the radio, the one from which I’d tried to contact him. That gave me an idea.
“Arik?” I leaned forward.
He glanced back. “What is it?”
“Is there a radio up there?”
“Looks like it.”
“Turn it on, please?”
He reached to the front panel and flipped a switch. Static crackled from the speakers.
I chewed my lip. “Try another frequency.”
Still static.
“Keep trying.”
“I don’t think we’ll find anything—”
I smacked him. “Shh!”
He heard it too. A faint voice amongst the crackling. Arik fiddled with the frequency.
“I’m searching for you. And you know who you are.”
At first, I didn’t recognize his voice, he sounded older; not so squeaky and meek. Zach.
“No way!” I jumped forward and looked for a receiver.
“I’m searching for you. And you know who you are.”
“Zach! Wait!” I scrambled, searching for a way to respond, but when I found the cord a high-pitched shriek escaped my lips. The cord was severed. “What the hell?”
“Calm down!” Arik patted the air between us, and I threw the cord at his stupid face.
“I’m searching for you. And you know who you are.”
My heart careened into the soles of my feet. The message kept repeating itself, and it might’ve been playing for days.
I sat back and choked on a sob. “It’s just a recording.”
Charles maneuvered around a three-car wreck. “Don’t worry. If we find a radio and tune into the same frequency, you can answer him, and he’ll be there.”
“Do you think?”
“Why you letting yourself get so worked up, girlo?” Dyonna shrugged. “It’s just a dude!”
“Just?” I got in her face. “Just? Were you not listening to the Lonely Ones? Did you not hear Zach and I have a prophesied future?”
“You’re beginning to scare me.” Dyonna shoved me. “You want that Silver Star monster born?”
I fell back into my seat. “No, I don’t, but I need to talk to him, and ask him if he had any strange dreams or visions. Any memories that can’t exist because they’re from the future. I also need to ask if...”
Arik looked back. “If he’s with this Jessie chick?”
I punched him dead in the face.
He snapped back into his seat. “You little—!”
“Don’t talk about Zach being with Jessie!”
“Ah, dammit. My nose is bleeding. I think it’s broken! Charles, is it broken?”
“Lemme see.” Charles regarded his friend. “As ugly as ever.”
Arik rubbed his nose. “Tiffany, you’re changing.”
I saw blood on my hands and realized what I’d done. “Oh my gosh! I’m so—”
“You’re becoming hysterical, you’re becoming super emotional—”
“Shut it!” Dyonna came to my defense. “Girlo’s been through a lot, ya? Let’s leave her alone. Maybe she on period. And you don’t wanna know how much that sucks nowadays.”
I shook my head hard. “I’m not. Everyone changes in the apocalypse. I’m sorry, Arik.”
Charles shrugged. “Don’t apologize.”
Arik threw his hands in the air. “Hell yes, she should apologize!”
Dyonna smacked the back of his head. “Hush!”
He swatted at her. “Stop doing that!”
“He’s right. I should apologize. Things have been tough, and it’s shitty for all of us. I won’t whine or complain, or even cry. It sucks, but I have to be strong and keep it together. Look, I shouldn’t snap at anyone; and I shouldn’t have punched you Arik.”
“Damn straight.” Arik nodded and Dyonna smacked him again. He grumbled, “Do that one more time and I swear!”
“This Sister girl; I suspect she’s part of G.O.D. Mode. If we plan to fight, we need to learn more.”
“You won’t have to do it alone.” Charles glanced in the rearview. “I promise.”
Dyonna put her hand on my shoulder. “You guys are growing on me. So, I say we’re a team.”
“Sure, a team. But punch me again and I won’t hold back.” Arik shot me a death glare.
“You’d never hit a girl.” Charles pointed out.
“Don’t let her know!”
A laugh found its way out of my throat for the first time since Kiki died. As the sun rose, I looked at my friends with hope. And a cloud blotted out the sun; my happiness faded. It wasn’t right anymore.
Arik’s stomach made a noise again. “When are we pulling over for food?”
The trees lessened as we passed. We were coming to a small city; one I had visited when I was a child. I saw a huge walled architecture in the distance. “That’s the penitentiary.”
Dyonna leaned forward. “We could hole up there! A prison is great for defense, ya?”
“I bet it’s filled with corpses.” Charles steered us along a side road, past abandoned businesses.
I shrugged. “It’s haunted... Anyway, we’re in Moundsville now. Bellaire isn’t far.”
A gas station appeared further ahead on our left. The gas prices were high when the ZPoc happened; over three bucks per gallon. Now, it was first come first serve.
“We should refuel.” Charles drove into the station. “You guys go check the store for food; I’ll see if I can figure out these pumps. There’s no power, so it may be difficult.”
“I’m not going with them!” Arik pointed at each of us. “She’ll punch me to death, and then she’ll eat me.”
“Boo frigging hoo.”
“You all hate me.” Arik shook his head. “You’ll feed me to the corpses before long, anyway.”
Charles patted his friend’s shoulder. “If corpses come, just trip Arik, okay?”
I couldn’t help but snort.
“See?” Arik shrugged. “I won’t survive the day. One less mouth to feed, I guess. You’re better off without me.”
“Shut up!” Dyonna went to hit him again but stopped as a long wail came from nearby.
“Corpses!” I pulled a knife from my belt sheathe. “Let’s go take care of them.”
I brought out a handgun just in case, and held the dagger below it, as I’d shown Zach back at the game studio. Arik and Dyonna copied, and we walked to storefront. We peeked through the windows. No corpses. So, we snuck around the back. Trees surrounded the exterior of the station’s parking lot.
I peeked around the corner to find five corpses surrounding a pile of garbage bags that had missed their pickup by seven months.
Each undead groaned and swayed from foot to foot. A gus
t of wind blew past, and one corpse lifted its nose into the air and turned. I hid and motioned to the others.
They acknowledged my guidance, and I pointed back to the corner. The first corpse, an old man, came around, and laid eyes on me, but I quick-stepped forward and stabbed my dagger into his forehead. As he fell, I caught and lowered him to the ground.
I motioned to flank the corpses. They nodded and crept away.
The other four corpses hadn’t noticed that one of their friends had gone missing. I puckered my lips and whistled. A crunching noise kept their attention, but one spotted me and staggered my way. I ducked and waited; he met the same fate as his friend.
Just three more remained. We needed to keep them separated.
“Help me!” A guy crawled from under the garbage bags, and the corpses cornered him.
Dyonna and Arik appeared around the side and led two corpses away. The last one moved after the stranger. I ran behind it and tugged the hood of its sweater. The corpse stumbled and collapsed. I lifted my foot and stomped in its skull, splattering brains on the concrete.
When I looked back to find the guy, he’d vanished. I spun around looking in each direction and spotted him. He ran toward the penitentiary, a block along the road.
“Wait!” I set my jaw. “Dumbass.”
Dyonna cleaned her knife on a corpse’s shirt. “Hey, girlo, who was that?”
“I’m about to find out!” I turned and ran.
Charles watched me as I darted by him. “Where are you going?”
“After that guy!” I kept running, and although I wasn’t an athletic girl, I caught up to the coward. “Hold it!”
I stuck my knife back in its sheath. As he stepped through a gap in the outside penitentiary gate, I tackled him into the grass.
He thrashed. “Leave me alone! Get off now!”
We rolled around, and he swung his fists. I held up my hands in defense, and he straddled me, grabbing my knife. The crazy bastard wanted to kill me! He held the blade above his head.
“Wait! We’re survivors! We can help you!”
“No one wants to help!” He stopped mid-stab and cocked his head.
I stared at his angry, blue eyes and they softened. He stabbed the knife into the ground beside my head. “Is your name Tiffany Gainsborough?”
LEVEL 15:
RAGING BIRD
He looked familiar, but I couldn’t place him. “Do I know you?”
A smug smile came over his face. “You should.”
“Okay, then.” My brow rose. “Can you get off of me, then?”
“But you’re Tiffany!” A toothy grin spread from ear to ear. “I see how you like it.”
“Um, I have no clue who you are. Now get off me!” I kicked my legs, throwing him.
Back on my feet, I snatched my knife out of the grass. He laughed and smacked his knee; I’d missed the joke, but it was a mistake to chase the bastard. Things were getting weird.
For a moment, I feared he was friends with the Lonely Ones—I had to find out. “Do you know anything about my future?”
“Yes, Tiff! We have many nights of passion, then little rug rats running about our home!”
I held up one finger. “One, don’t call me Tiff, or I’ll crush your nuts.” And a second finger. “And two, you’re insane.”
“You don’t remember this platinum bad boy?” He stuck out his tongue.
“You are grossing me out, dude!”
“I’m Garrett Rose. Your boyfriend!”
I stared at him hard. He’d said a name I hadn’t heard since I left Bellaire. This guy had been my summer romance after Zach left. My heart had shattered, and Garrett, as a rebound, put together the pieces. He looked different with a thin mustache and long hair.
I narrowed my eyes. “You!”
He circled, undressing me with his eyes. “Remember during truth or dare I made you take a nude lap around my house? Oh, boy I sure do!”
“I remember you’re a goddamn assface!” I swung at him.
He ducked my attack. “Whoa! We had so many awesome nights in my basement. Why didn’t we go to third base, babe?”
“I’m not your babe! And we didn’t make it to third because you left me for that chick, Laura!”
“It’s all in the past, though.” He shrugged. “She became zombie chow a long time ago!”
“Oh, so sad!” I held my knife pointed at him. “I should stab you!”
“You wouldn’t!” He pattered the air between us. “Please! I was young and dumb.”
I glared, spun the knife in my hand, and sheathed the weapon. With that, I turned and walked away. I wanted nothing to with him.
After several yards, he shouted after me. “Wait, babe! Give me a chance!”
I touched the hilt of my dagger. Restraint now was difficult. I wanted to spin and throw it into his stupid skull, which I could do, and get away with, but I kept walking.
“Wait for me!”
“No. End of discussion!” I broke into a jog, reached the vehicle and jumped inside, beside my friends. I smacked the back of the driver’s seat.
Charles looked in the rearview. “Who’s that guy? He’s coming over here.”
“A psychopath! Just go!”
“Them eyes, though!” Dyonna gazed past me.
I glanced over, and Garrett stood beside the Jeep, his hand wide. He wore an arrogant smirk. “Shut it! Can we please just go?”
“What were ya doing by the garbage?” Dyonna leaned past me. “Saw ya run for ya life!”
“Oh, come on, dammit!” I covered my face with both palms, biting back a scream. “Can’t we leave the prick?”
“Not my policy to leave behind survivors.” Charles shrugged.
Arik shook his head. “Since when? What about the twins back in Texas?”
“They were batshit!”
“How so?”
Charles shot Arik a glare. “Remember? They called themselves trophy hunters and tried to chop—”
“I’ll chop something off if we don’t leave this instant!”
“I’m all alone out here.” Garret pulled open my door. “The cold, lonely pen is my home. I was scavenging for food, and the zombies caught me by surprise!”
I slammed the door shut, locked it and flipped my middle finger. “You mean you were hiding in the trash from the corpses!”
“Corpses? Oh, the zombies! They’ve yet to get bigger like the ones towards Bellaire.”
Arik threw his arms in the air. “They have growth spurts! Must be of the level two variety.”
A shrill cry came from the sky above us.
“What was that?” My heart came to a halt.
“Oh no, it’s back! You’ve got to help me!” Garrett pointed to the clouds.
I leaned out of the Jeep. A bird circled above, but it looked no bigger than a pigeon. “It’s just a sky rat. Now go away!”
Charles hit the door unlock button. “Get in the jeep.”
“Hell, no!” I jabbed his shoulder.
“Ow! What’s wrong with him?”
“He’s bad news!”
Garrett hopped in the back next to me. “She’s mad because I screwed this other chick and not her.”
“You aren’t coming!” I seized his collar.
“Um, zombie bird!”
“Everyone’s accounted for, and I got fuel, so let’s skedaddle.” Charles started the Jeep, and pulled out of the gas station, putting the penitentiary wall to our right, and a ditch to our left.
Dyonna stared, her eyes widened. “Guys, I think that bird is big!”
I leaned across her to look again, and to my horror, she spoke the truth. The bird no longer appeared small; it was a condor, with a ten-foot wingspan. Although feathers covered most of its body, the tips gleamed in the sunlight as if made of steel.
I couldn’t take my eyes off the soaring zombeast. “Go, go, go!”
Charles stomped on the gas, and we propelled forward. The great avian swooped lower.
“Don’t
worry guys!” Arik leaned out and aimed. “I got this!”
He fired, but the bird veered.
“Dammit!” Arik came back. “Hello? Why am I the only one shooting?”
“Because you had it!” I grabbed a rifle, but Garrett ripped it from my hands.
“Ladies, shouldn’t use such barbaric weapons.” He fired outside and sucked without the doom bird even having to dodge. What he hit were power lines, billboards, and a fast food sign, sending debris flying in every direction.
“You suck ass!” I snatched the rifle.
“Hold tight!” Charles swerved hard, and the Jeep veered to the side of a small corpse herd.
Garrett scoffed and held the weapon away from me. “You couldn’t shoot any better! You’re a girl!”
I lunged for his throat, but he ducked and fired once more. He missed the bird over and over until the ammo ran out. His next move made me want to kill him even more. He tossed the weapon right out the window. I watched it bounce on the road.
I lifted my fist. “Idiot!”
He blocked his face. “It was out of ammo!”
“We have more bullets!”
“Easy mistake!”
The bird screeched, and we lifted our eyes. The flying creature dove, holding its wings out before it. Projectile feathers fired, showering the road and the surrounding cars. I ducked as more came raining. One struck past me and through the driver’s seat.
Arik shrieked and without warning, the Jeep swerved and drove right into the ditch. We flipped into the air, and smashed into the ground, rolling side over side. Our wild ride ended when we crashed into a building, upright.
My head spun as I grabbed my aching neck. “What the hell just happened?”
I looked to my side and found no sign of Arik, Dyonna, or Garrett. Out of my friends only Charles had been wearing a seat belt, so he still sat in the vehicle, unconscious.
Along the road, Dyonna, and Arik crawled out of the ditch. Garrett had made it back to his feet and ran towards the jeep.
Even with everything spinning, I sat up straight. “Thank the gaming gods we’re okay!”
I reached up and patted Charles on the shoulder; I retracted my hand when I felt a sticky substance. Blood.
“Charles?” I tore off my seatbelt and jumped into the front. I cried out and held both hands over my mouth. His head hung to his chest, and two steel spikes protruded from his shoulder and side.
Omega Virus (Book 2): Gamma Hour Page 10