Bishop appeared surprised then looked oddly puzzled. “Okay, I'm going to lead with ‘holy shit, my first virgin’ then follow-up with ‘can you elaborate on minor indiscretions’,” he teased with a devious grin on his face.
“Call me old-fashioned, but maybe we should save something for our first date,” she remarked while grinning and returned her head to his chest.
He gently caressed her shoulder and hid his smile. “Never mind. I'll just leave it to my imagination.”
Jetta laughed softly and nuzzled his chest.
“I had a crazy thought,” Bishop announced.
“Crazier than running through a parking lot full of zombies?” she teased.
“Why don't we stay in bed the entire day and roll around naked instead of that other thing we intended to do?”
“Or--we could take a shower and then follow through with the original plan,” Jetta said simply.
Bishop playfully grinned. “You mean the one where I knock you up, so you're stuck with me forever?”
“I don't recall that particular plan.”
“Yeah, I was sort of saving that one in case you ever got drunk at the tavern again,” Bishop teased.
“Let's stick with the one where we wipe out every last zombie without getting ourselves killed. Afterwards, you can do whatever you want to me for as long as you want. Deal?”
Bishop appeared interested and looked at her in his arms. “Can I get that in writing?”
Chapter Twenty-eight
The sunrise was warm and inviting throughout the town of Winter Harbor. It was a beautiful fall day and the birds were singing. A gentle breeze blew warmly past--the hundreds of zombies surrounding the high school. They pounded on doors and windows while attempting to get inside. Hanson and Dixon stood in the alcove and watched more than fifty zombies attempting to get in through the front doors. The zombies looked less human now as their flesh continued to decompose.
“Decomposition is a bitch, eh?” Dixon remarked while grimacing at the zombies outside the doors.
“Found a few bodies working NYPD over the years,” Hanson informed Dixon. “I thought they were gruesome, but even they didn't look quite this bad.”
“Maybe because they weren't walking around trying to bite your ass,” Dixon teased and studied the horde of zombies outside the doors. He suddenly appeared interested. “Hey, I think I know that woman.”
“Unfortunately, you probably know most of them,” Hanson said sadly.
“How many do you suppose--you know?”
Hanson shrugged. “Hard to say. There's probably two hundred or more surrounding the school. Who knows how many others are around town and elsewhere.”
Dixon moved closer to the gate across the doors and studied the glass. A small crack was noticeable. He frowned and shook his head with disgust.
“I think we overestimated the strength of the glass,” Dixon muttered.
“It's only a small crack,” Hanson remarked. “It'll hold.”
“I hope so.” Dixon looked past the zombies and into the parking lot. Something caught his attention. “Son-of-a-bitch! I don't believe it.”
“What?” Hanson asked and strained to see past the crowd of zombies.
“There are survivors on the school bus in the parking lot!” He suddenly laughed. “I'll be damned. Look, they're waving at me.” Dixon grinned and waved back.
Nearly thirty or more zombies crowded the school bus near the far end of the lot and attempted to get inside. The survivors on the bus attempted to stay away from the windows.
“I don't think they can get inside the bus, but those people won't last very long without water,” Hanson announced. “We have to think of a way to get to them.”
“Might be a problem,” Dixon informed him. “Maybe you haven't noticed the wall of zombies outside the door.”
“If we could find the science labs, maybe there's enough chemicals--”
Remy hurried into the alcove and appeared excited. “I just got word over the radio. They're coming!”
Both men looked at her with bewilderment.
“Who's coming?” Dixon asked.
“Sheriff Palmer,” she said while excitedly running for the gate before the glass doors. “All he said was ‘it's going to get really loud’.”
The sounds of approaching pick-up trucks could be heard speeding through the parking lot. All three pressed up against the metal gate despite the hungry zombies attempting to break through the glass to reach them. An explosion rocked the building, rattled the windows, and vibrated the metal gate. Several zombies were blown apart while being thrown through the air on fire. It rained down flaming zombie parts. Remy looked at both men and grinned with enthusiasm.
“Boys, the Cavalry has arrived.”
One of the zombies pounded on the crack in the glass. The glass shattered, leaving a large, twelve-inch hole. Both men jumped, and Remy let out a startled scream. They moved away from the metal gate and watched as the zombies reached through the hole in the glass for them. Their decaying flesh was shredded against the jagged glass, but it didn't deter them. All three appeared alarmed. As the trucks continued to race through the parking lot, the sound of gunfire was heard. A majority of the zombies left the alcove doors and opted for the moving trucks. Remy, Hanson, and Dixon appeared relieved.
†
Styles and Doc stood on the terrace on the third floor of the hotel and looked at the parking lot below. A dozen or more zombies aimlessly roamed the lot. They seemed clueless and without purpose. A box filled with crudely made explosives in glass bottles sat on the floor alongside Styles and Doc. Styles painfully leaned against the wall and indicated several cars throughout the lot.
“I think I can make the first two cars Bishop has on the list, but I don't know about the third.”
“Tyler has a good throwing arm,” Doc announced. “They also have a better position from the sunroom. We'll just take out what we can.”
“They seem to be everywhere,” Styles said softly. “How many people do you think were infected?”
“I'm afraid to even guess,” he replied. “I prefer being up here to do this. I won't have to see their faces. I don't want to personalize it in any way.”
“I know what you mean,” Styles said with a sigh. “I haven't lived here long enough to know everyone personally, but I saw a lot of familiar faces outside those doors. People I've said hello to.” He appeared tense. “I'm scared to death the next one I see will be Sheriff Palmer. I know he's a real pain in the ass, but he's the closest thing to a friend I've got in this town.”
“Then you also know him well enough to know he can handle himself in just about any situation,” Doc informed him. “Sort of like you.”
“Me?” Styles said then laughed. “I was benched before the first down. If I'd been of any use, I wouldn't be laid up here; I'd be out there stopping these things.”
“You are stopping these things,” Doc protested. “This is an important thing we're doing today. And you may have been benched, but you survived an attack before you even knew there was a threat. It was your quick response that saved your life.” Doc studied him a moment and appeared curious. “Did you know that Sheriff Palmer had over two hundred applicants applying for your position? Out of two hundred applicants, he chose you. That should tell you something.”
“Yeah, my application was on the top of the pile, and he hadn't had his morning coffee yet,” Styles teased.
“Hiring deputies isn't something he'd take lightly. There was a local boy among those who'd applied,” Doc informed him. “Anyone else in town would have gone with the local boy. In fact, a lot of folks were pissed with Sheriff Palmer when they found out he didn't hire the local boy, but he stuck with his decision. People in town have accepted you as one of us. Typically, that takes years with hardheads like us.”
“You really think people in town like me?”
“Of course they do,” he replied then sank into thought. “Although, I'm sure there are a lot of fathers out the
re wishing their teenage daughters didn't like you quite so much.”
Styles hid his smile and laughed softly. Bishop's voice was heard over the handheld radio alongside them.
“You in position?” Bishop asked over the radio.
Styles picked up the handheld radio and spoke into it. “Yeah, Bishop. Doc and I are in position. Over.”
†
At the same time in the sunroom, Rafael, Tyler, and Carter stood before the large windows on the second floor. They stared at the parking lot below. Rafael and Tyler exchanged bewildered looks. Rafael appeared concerned and spoke into his handheld radio.
“Yo, dude, these windows don't open,” Rafael announced to Bishop.
“So? Open them,” came Bishop's response.
Rafael and Tyler eyed each other, casually shrugged, and then approached a heavy wall table. Carter jumped into their path and stopped them.
“Don't you dare!”
Neither man was impressed.
“Dude, either move out of the way or go out the window,” Rafael remarked with a serious look in his eyes. “Your choice.”
Carter stared at them a moment, realized they were serious, and moved out of the way. Rafael and Tyler threw the heavy table through the large window. Carter cringed as the table shattered the glass and crashed to the parking lot below.
“Window is open,” Rafael cheerfully announced into the hand radio while grinning. “We're in position.”
Tyler looked out the large opening in the broken window. A male zombie writhed beneath the heavy table, which had successfully crushed him from the waist down.
“Nice shot,” Tyler announced with an approving nod. “That's one down.”
“Yeah, about a million to go,” Rafael remarked then looked out the window as well.
The zombie clawed at the pavement while pinned beneath the table. His upper half tore free, and he inched his way along the pavement by his fingers. Rafael and Tyler made faces and exchanged looks.
“I could have lived the rest of my life without seeing that,” Rafael remarked.
“Yeah, but you have to admire his determination,” Tyler replied with all seriousness.
Carter and Rafael looked at Tyler with their mouths hanging open. Tyler grinned and chuckled.
†
Within the kitchen, Jetta and Bishop stood by the back door with Lee and Stacy. Neither woman looked particularly enthusiastic. Jetta wore Deputy Styles' gun holster in preparation to their zombie run. Stacy stared out the small window to the parking lot and what she saw clearly stressed her. Lee handed Jetta the keys to her car dangling on a pink keychain in the shape of a shoe.
“My car is out of the fire zone,” Lee announced.
“There are about a dozen zombies outside the door,” Stacy informed them.
“We need a diversion,” Jetta announced. She was now feeling nervous and apprehensive about confronting the zombies on their home field.
“Got you covered,” Lee replied and held up a second set of keys. “When I push this button, my father's car alarm will go off. If it's true that sound attracts them, it should lead them right to his car. My car is in the opposite direction of his.”
Jetta nervously nodded then looked at Bishop. He offered a reassuring smile and removed the gun from his shoulder holster beneath his jacket.
“On your mark--”
Jetta removed the gun from her holster, returned the smile, and nodded. Lee pressed the car alarm button.
The expensive car's lights flashed as the horn loudly sounded. Zombies were quickly alerted to the sound, left the kitchen door, and headed toward the beckoning car. Styles and Doc looked over the wall with their bombs and watched the parking lot below. Several zombies collected around Carter's car while pawing and pounding on the windows.
“We're ready to deploy--now!” Doc said into his radio.
Styles and Doc lit the cloth wicks on the homemade bombs and cast them into the lot below. Bombs from both locations shattered against predetermined cars, including Carter's, causing them to ignite and then explode. Several zombies were blown up along with the cars and scattered across the parking lot.
“My car!” Carter was heard shouting.
Two more sets of bombs flew from the building and struck other cars with explosions that took out more zombies. Jetta and Bishop ran from the kitchen and shot at the remaining zombies while running for Lee's car. The parking lot was littered with exploded car and zombie parts. Jetta and Bishop reached Lee's tiny, pink car. As Jetta opened the passenger side door, a zombie suddenly appeared from behind the car and grabbed Bishop's arm. Bishop shot it in the head as it bit his arm. As the zombie collapsed, Bishop appeared stunned while staring at his arm. Jetta grabbed him and pulled him into the car with her. The car started and drove away at high speeds, plowing down a few zombies on the way through.
†
The tiny, pink car raced toward the hanger at high speeds and skidded to a stop near the helicopter. A zombie lunged for the car. Jetta threw open the car door, striking the zombie with force, and casting it to the ground. Jetta jumped out of the car, shot the zombie in the head, and hurried for the helicopter. Bishop jumped out of the passenger side with his radio and gun and scanned the area while Jetta prepped the helicopter.
“Zombie, ten o'clock, Bishop,” Rafael's voice was heard over the radio.
Bishop immediately turned, saw the zombie approaching the helicopter, and shot it in the head. The helicopter revved and the rotors spun. Bishop quickly jumped inside the helicopter and subconsciously rubbed his arm. Jetta was about to lift off when she saw his torn jacket and noticed him rubbing his forearm. Horror suddenly swept over her.
“Were you bit?”
Bishop snorted a soft laugh and removed his hand from his lower arm. His jacket was torn, but there was no damage to his shirt beneath.
“No, but they ruined a perfectly good jacket,” he replied then shook his head with a soft groan. “That was way too close for my comfort.”
Jetta appeared relieved. Both laughed softly. As the helicopter lifted from the pad, distant explosions were heard from across town. Both appeared surprised and looked outside the helicopter. There weren't any visible sign of explosions near them.
“Did you hear that?” Jetta asked.
“It sounded like it came from the school,” he replied.
Chapter Twenty-nine
Cars exploded throughout the nearly filled high school parking lot. Several pick-up trucks raced through the parking lot with men firing out the back and through windows. The zombies abandoned the entrances and attempted to reach the speeding trucks. More zombies appeared from other areas of the building and throughout the parking lot. Desmond drove the red pick-up truck while Palmer shot from the passenger side window. Hunter sat in the back and fired from the tailgate. Jetta's helicopter could be heard approaching in the near distance. All three looked to the sky. Hunter grinned and chuckled. He knew that sound and what it meant. His little girl was coming for him. The helicopter flew across town at top speeds.
“It's Jetta!” Desmond cried out excitedly and grabbed the truck's radio. “Jetta! Jetta! You there?”
“Desmond, you bastard! Where are you?” came Jetta's enthusiastic reply over the radio.
“The red truck with Hunter in the back--” Desmond eyed Hunter in the back of the truck. “--waving at you.”
The red truck abruptly stopped in the parking lot. Hunter sprang onto the roof of the truck and slung his rifle over his shoulder as the helicopter lowered above them. He jumped onto the rung and quickly climbed into the helicopter. The helicopter lifted and the truck raced across the parking lot. Hunter grabbed Jetta from behind while she concentrated on flying and kissed her. Jetta smiled and was overjoyed to see him. She somehow knew he'd survive. His look turned serious.
“Next time I tell you I see zombies, you may want to believe me,” Hunter firmly lectured her.
“Rub it in all you want, I'm just happy you're alive,” she replie
d while chuckling.
“Of course I'm alive,” he remarked simply. “Hell rejected me once already. They certainly don't want me back.”
“We're breaking off and running an assault on the hotel,” Desmond was heard over the radio. “The rest of you finish this here.”
†
The helicopter flew across town while heading toward the hotel. Winter Harbor residents flocked onto rooftops and waved at the passing helicopter, signaling their location for possible rescue, and indicating where they were trapped since the attack. Hunter mowed down several zombies on Main Street with a barrage of bullets. The red and silver trucks raced down Main Street behind the helicopter and shooters within the trucks took out several more zombies. Residents waved from second story windows and cheered as they passed. The helicopter approached the hotel with the red and silver trucks following in the distance along the resort's road. The helicopter lowered to a van a safe distance from the lobby parking lot entrance, where a massive number of zombies had collected and attempted to get inside. Hunter jumped onto the van roof with a rope tied to the helicopter. He shot out the sunroof as the helicopter hovered then stomped on the roof to attract attention. He had already gotten the attention of several zombies.
“Fresh meat! Come and get it!”
The zombies began their approach. Hunter casually lit his cigar and sat on the van roof. As the zombies approached the van, the lobby door was left nearly vacant. Elise was visible on the other side of the doors while watching the battle. When the horde of zombies were just about on top of the van, Hunter casually stood, placed his foot in a loop in the rope, and signaled to Jetta in the helicopter. As the helicopter lifted him from the van, he dropped a grenade through the broken sunroof. The helicopter flew away with Hunter lazily dangling from the rope. The van exploded and took a dozen zombies with it. The red truck was speeding in Hunter's direction toward the hotel. Desmond and Palmer looked out the windshield at Hunter hanging from his rope directly in front of them. Hunter grinned and waved at them as he just barely cleared the truck. The silver truck broke formation, picked up speed near the lobby entrance, and plowed through three zombies. All three zombies were thrown across the truck's hood. One crashed through the windshield.
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