by Laurèn Lee
Lexa pulled herself up and wielded her dagger. Rocky, coughing, broke through the haze of smoking billowing out of the broken windows.
“Lexa, look out!”
The man stumbled toward Lexa with his arms outstretched and pieces of human flesh dangling from his jagged nails. Lexa noticed a box of matches in his pocket. He’d set the fire.
Lexa juked left as the cannibal veered right. He lost his balance and stumbled against the last standing shelf in the store. He knocked it over, tripping into the mess he’d made. Lexa jumped over him and flew into Rocky’s arms. He caught her and pulled her close, kissing her forehead, which was covered in soot and ash.
“Hurry, let’s get out of here!” Rocky yelled.
Lexa nodded, and they sprinted out of the store just as half the roof collapsed on itself. There was no doubt in either of their minds, the cannibal was finally dead. No way he could have survived.
Lexa fell to her knees and coughed until her eyes watered, leaving streaks down her cheeks. “That was close,” she choked.
“You almost died in there!” Rocky said, his voice trembling with concern.
“You’re not kidding,” she replied, still breathing heavily. “Where’s Ivie?”
“I told her to go hide.” Rocky rubbed Lexa’s back and wiped a lone drop of sweat off his brow.
Lexa clutched at her chest as her eyes bugged out of her head. “Did she actually listen to you?”
“I think so,” Rocky panted. “She definitely didn’t follow me inside.”
“Who knew that girl had it in her to listen to instructions?”
“Definitely not me,” Rocky said.
He pulled Lexa up and patted her back. Sweat soaked through her t-shirt as though she dove into the lake for an afternoon swim. The fire nearly burned itself out, and neither of them heard the murderous mumblings of the cannibal. However, Lexa spotted something near the burned down store: a black duffel bag.
She hobbled over to the bag, avoiding the last several splashes of ash upon the ground, and dragged it over to where Rocky stood in the rubble of another empty store with a gas station attached.
“What’s that?” Rocky asked.
“Let’s find out, huh?”
“Shouldn’t we find Ivie first?” Rocky suggested.
“Ivie!” Lexa called out. “It’s okay to come out now. We’re safe!”
“Or, we can just shout for her. That works too.” Rocky rolled his eyes.
Ivie peeked out of the post office. and once she saw her sister, she ran as fast as she could toward them. She tackled her older sister and hugged her tightly.
“You’re okay!”
“Sure am,” Lexa said.
“What’s that?” Ivie asked as she pointed to the black duffle bag.
“I think the cannibal who tried to kill me must have dropped it.”
“And the fire? How’d that happen?” Ivie asked.
Lexa opened the black bag and pulled out a box of matches. She showed them to Rocky and Ivie, then nodded toward the gas station behind them.
“Clever infected dude,” Lexa said. “Hmmm, what else do we have here?”
She pulled out a few canned vegetables, scissors, a few batteries and one water bottle. Rocky grabbed at the bottle and opened it, about to pour it down his throat.
“Wait!” Lexa shrieked. “If that guy was infected, his water could be contaminated!”
Rocky spilled a drop of water onto his skin, and it sizzled, sending steam into the air and leaving part of Rocky’s arm red and blistered. “Damn it!”
“Told ya,” Lexa said.
Inside the bag, Lexa found a few more valuable items such as a gun with two bullets, some granola bars, a few bandaids and a bottle of vodka.
“Oooohhh. I want some!” Ivie eyed the bottle.
“None for you!” Lexa said.
“Well, then you can’t have any, either.” She pouted.
“Whatever. We’ll keep it anyway, just in case. Rocky, you good to carry this?”
Rocky nodded and slung the duffel bag onto his back, but not before he took out one bandage and handed it to Lexa for her arm.
“I think we made out okay, all things considered,” Lexa said as she placed the bandage across the cut. A few specks of blood seeped through the material then stopped.
“Yeah, none of us died,” Rocky replied.
Rocky, Lexa and Ivie left Rocky’s old village and continued their trek onto the road leading back toward the City of Lightning. Lexa, while still apprehensive and nervous, felt more prepared than ever to find Paradise Lake and help her camp. She had her sister by her side and her best friend, too. There was nothing she couldn’t accomplish with them on her team.
After about a mile’s worth of walking, they came to a fork in the road. The City of Lightning, still hidden by the storm, appeared even more frightening. With every obstacle they overcame, they still weren’t any closer to finding peace and safety and they had dozens of miles more to go.
“Ready?” Lexa asked her sister and best friend.
“Not really, but we don’t really have a choice, do we?” Rocky asked.
“Nope!”
“Let’s do this,” Ivie said, hand in hand with Lexa.
They all nodded as they stepped onto the main road toward the City of Lightning. The next step of their journey was about to begin, and even deadlier forces awaited them.
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About Laurèn Lee
Laurèn Lee was born and raised in Buffalo, New York. She loves hockey, chicken wings and spending time with family, friends and her boyfriend.
Reading and writing are her life’s passions and becoming an author is her ultimate dream.
As a child, Laurèn became enamored with the Harry Potter series. As an adult, she loves psychological thrillers and mysteries with a twist.
About R.K. Gold
R.K. Gold graduated from the University of Maryland in 2014 with a B.A. in English and is now pursuing a M.S. in Economics from the University at Buffalo.
He is a non-genre specific author who enjoys reading and writing about characters searching for their purpose in life.
Also by Laurèn Lee
Charlotte’s Pact (Demons in New York Book 1)
Liam Rising (Demons in New York Book 2)
Adriel’s Reckoning (Demons in New York Book 3)
When Houses Burn
Cranberry Lane
Running in Circles
We’ll Begin Again
Also By R.K. Gold
The Little Black Book
Just Under the Sky
Brinwood
Third Life