***
After hours of driving, we finally took a break and parked in the middle of a wide and very shallow river. It was Nick’s brilliant idea and I loved it. The rushing water was shallow enough to keep us from getting our vehicles stuck, but would wash away any zombie who dared to come brave the strong current. Nick and Val were getting to know each other over lunch on the hood of the Jeep. Val scooted to the edge, her bare feet swaying in the air over the trickling water. Nick never had alone time with Val so I headed over to the other Jeep.
My boots sloshed through the water as I waded through. The sky was a neat shade of blue and a cool breeze blew through my hair. Tahoe was passed out and sprawled across the backseat. Claire sat on a huge boulder nearby and seemed to be in deep thought while Jackie sat on the hood of her red Jeep sipping a bottled water. I loved how the afternoon sun brought out the blonde highlights in her dark hair. A frown creased her forehead and I knew something was on her mind.
“Is everything okay?” I asked, jumping up next to her on the hood.
“Yeah, I was just thinking, that’s all.”
“About what?”
“I should’ve never hesitated,” she said, setting the bottle down next to her.
“Hesitated?”
“I can’t stop thinking about the glass house. The second Earl took Val, I should’ve whipped out my gun and shot him in the arm or leg.”
I reached for her hand. “Jackie, you can’t blame yourself. You were just handed a gun. And you never held one a day in your life. How could you expect to be some kind of Lara Croft and kick the bad guys butts? Trust me, that will come in time. ’Cause you have mad skills.”
She playfully slugged me. “Not yet, but I will. You can count on it.”
“Jackie, you do have skills. You were spectacular when you sprang into action to save our butts. I mean, you didn’t hesitate to shoot out that window back at the grocery store, hit the zombie with the baseball bat, walk straight up to that zombie on the beach and shoot him, and the way you took down that zombie in the dumpster was impressive.”
“It’s a start. But I need more practice with shooting. I sucked back at the beach.”
“It was dark and you have absolutely no shooting experience, but it’ll come in time. I sucked when I first started, but I’ve been practicing for a year now. By this time next year, you’ll be slinging down zombies like second nature.”
“When I watched Val get thrown into that pit of zombies…” Her voice trailed off.
I cupped her cheek. “It’s okay.”
She blinked away a tear. “When that happened, I swear something inside of me snapped. I thought my actions just killed this poor girl. I was devastated.”
“But Val’s okay,” I said. “Everything turned out fine. Dwelling on that horrible memory is just going to eat you up alive.”
“When I thought she died, it was one of the worst moments of my life. I felt like I was struck by lightning. I knew from that second on, I could never be scared of defending myself or my friends. All of this anger boiled up inside of me, and I swore I was going to take down the next zombie I met.”
“Uh-huh. So that’s why you grabbed the bat out of my hands and pounded that zombie.”
“I took out all my frustration and pent-up anger in a few powerful hits. I refused to fear them anymore. Believe it or not, it was a major turning point in my life. I was going to fight to survive. And I would never hesitate shooting anything or anyone that threatens me or my friends lives ever again.”
“We’ll fight together,” I said.
Her fingers entwined into my hair and pulled me closer, her green eyes shining bright. I kissed her on the lips…slow, gentle, and romantic. Everything felt perfect.
“That was nice,” she said. “I’m so glad I met you. Thank you for not wanting to leave me back at that glass house. I know it could’ve been so easy to just drive away without ever looking back.”
“No, it wouldn’t have been easy. Not easy at all.”
“Really?”
“I was hoping not to leave without you,” I said.
She smiled.
“And I’m so thankful you didn’t freak out about Val’s bite. You were so cool about it. I mean, you even rode with Val in the same Jeep.”
“I knew she was still a day or two from turning so I wasn’t worried. But I didn’t expect her to stop at the local grocery store.”
“Even still, you stood by her. That means so much to me.”
“I felt like I owed Val. So when she ran off into that grocery store, I didn’t hesitate going in after her. Even though I know she’d never admit to it, she needed my help.”
“She’s so much like Nick,” I said. “We just met Val for the first time yesterday.”
“That’s what Claire told me. Nick told her everything. I think it’s an amazing story.”
“Let’s just hope it has a happy ending.”
She brushed a stray hair out of my eyes. “It will.”
I wanted to believe her more than anything.
“Hey, I also wanted to apologize to you about what happened when we met. I can’t believe I hid in the house with Claire. We should’ve been at your side fighting.”
“Seeing those zombies for the first time all by yourselves had to be terrifying. I hadn’t seen a zombie since the outbreak a year ago. And when I saw them again, I was…”
“Shaking?”
I laughed. “Let’s just say my heart was racing a million miles a minute. We’ve got a lot in common. I was sheltered over the last year too. And then—bing, bang, boom!—we’re both thrown into Zombie Land at the exact same time.”
“Two newbies just trying to survive another day, huh?” she said.
“Yeah. Why didn’t somebody give us a zombie survival handbook?”
She laughed. I loved her laugh. We talked some more. Jackie was so easy to talk to and we had so much in common. After a few minutes, I went back to hang out with Val and Nick. Jackie and Claire gave us siblings some space. I think they both knew that we needed to get to know each other by spending time together.
A growl made me glance up. A zombie with those horrible white eyes broke out of the thick vegetation. The thing that really caught my attention was the axe sticking out of its head. I whipped out my gun, my heart racing.
“There’s only one,” Nick said, scanning the vegetation around us.
“I can take on one blindfolded,” Val said.
I motioned to Val and Nick. “Don’t worry, I got this.”
“I thought you lost your gun back at that grocery store,” Nick said.
“I did. But Val got me another one.” I shot her a thankful look and she smiled.
Val cringed as she stared down the zombie. “Wow, if that dude could feel pain…ouch. I bet he’d have a pounding headache the size of Texas.”
Just as the zombie stumbled to the water’s edge, it lost its balance and was swept away downstream.
“Good riddance!” Nick yelled.
“We better get a move on before more come,” I said.
“Dean’s right,” Val said. “I planned on stopping for lunch, but not becoming it.”
Nick motioned over to the girls that we were leaving because it wasn’t safe anymore.
And once again, we were all back on the road.
Chapter 16
I’d driven for hours giving Nick some time to sleep, but then he woke up and we switched. I stared out at the stars in the night sky. This would be my second night out here in Zombie Land. I don’t know when tiredness overwhelmed me, but at some point, my eyelids became so heavy I could no longer fight off sleep. It seemed like I’d only managed to doze off for seconds, minutes at the most, when the horn blew, jolting me. I sat up groggily and looked around, disoriented. “Wh-what’s going on?” I asked Nick. “Is Val okay?” My voice sounded hoarse and slurry, so much so that it took me a second to recognize it as my own.
“She’s sweating up a storm, but she’s out cold,
” Nick said, cool and calm as ever. “Look up ahead.”
I rubbed my eyes to get rid of the foggy sensation and peered out the windshield as Nick hit the brakes slowly. The Jeep came to a halt a few feet away from our obstacle. The headlights shone on a figure in the middle of the road. I couldn’t make out his features because a dark hood hung over his face. “Is it a zombie? Run it over, Nick!”
Nick shook his head. “No, it’s not a zombie.”
I didn’t reply because he was right, as usual. I squinted to get a closer look, and as my sight adjusted, I could make out more details.
He was at least six foot, maybe six-two, with a strong physique that boasted of regular physical activity. His feet stood apart, turned toward us, and his hands hung by his side, hidden beneath his coat. Something shimmered at his waist, and it appeared to be some kind of belt buckle. When I inclined my head to get a better look, I realized it was a weapon, pushed halfway up to his shoulder. The guy’s hand moved ever so slowly up to the gun, and his fingers hovered there, maybe to signal us he wasn’t afraid, but he didn’t retrieve it.
“I think he’s dangerous,” I whispered to no one in particular.
If Nick heard me, he didn’t reply. There was, after all, nothing to say. No one could argue that point.
“What is that shadow on the right side of the road?” I said, pointing ahead.
Nick leaned into me and followed my line of vision, to the place where the headlight didn’t reach. “I don’t know.”
Keeping the guy in focus, I peered from him to what looked like a black, shapeless pile cast in darkness. It looked like someone had gathered a mound of firewood, but some of the timber seemed larger than the rest, like whole tree branches instead of twigs. What would anyone need all that for? If he’s trying to barricade the street, why is it all piled over there? I was inclined to believe it was nothing but a pile of wood, until a strong breeze blew against our windows, carrying with it the unmistakable scent of dead flesh, even stronger and more noxious than the one coming from Val’s wound. The latter was probably the reason why we hadn’t noticed the stench before.
“Looks like the guy’s killed a zombie or two,” Nick said, mirroring my thoughts.
“I hope he’s not infected. If he’s healthy, he might need help,” I said hesitantly, almost expecting Nick to ask why I was being so stupid. “Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying we should offer him a ride or anything, but—”
Nick slipped out his gun. “Okay. I want to help him if we can, since the guy looks like some kind of master zombie slayer, but we have to be careful. Even if he’s not infected, he’s armed, and he might try to steal the Jeep. Times like these will turn otherwise good people into all sorts of things, zombies and thieves included.”
“Well, just a thought, but it looks to me like he’s pretty good with whatever weapon he’s slinging. There are more than a couple dead zombies on that heap,” I offered.
Nick put the Jeep in park, flung the door open, and jumped out, then stopped in his tracks. “What the…?”
I peered from him to the figure, who was still standing in the middle of the road.
“Dean, you aren’t gonna believe this,” Nick said, laughing.
I frowned and jumped out of the car, my hand wandering to the weapon attached to my waist. Out of the car with the headlights no longer reflected by the windshield, I could make out more details.
The guy tossed back his hood and headed straight for us. His military short hair and Army fatigues caught my attention before my brain registered his facial features.
My mouth gaped in sudden recognition. It can’t be! “Lucas? How did you—”
“Dean!” He came over and slapped my shoulder, laughing.
I noticed spots of blood and gore on his coat, but I didn’t pull back.
“You know Rambo?” Claire asked, approaching us from the left.
“Hey, ladies,” Nick said. “Next time, wait for me to deem the situation safe before you leave your vehicle. What if this guy was some kind of serial killer or something?”
“And that’s supposed to scare me?” Jackie asked. “For all I know, I could be riding with one.”
Lucas raised a brow.
“They picked up a straggler we had a run-in with,” I explained.
“Let’s not open up that can of worms right now,” Claire chimed in. “I’m not up for another fight. So, Nick…” She turned and gawked at my brother, wearing the most obvious I-have-a-crush-on-you smile I’d ever seen. “Now, do you know him?”
“This is my best friend Lucas. We go back a long way.”
“Hey, gals. What’s up?” Lucas smiled and gave me a fist-bump, then turned to Nick. “I’ve been looking for you, man! When you didn’t come back to the city, we were all worried. I came with a team, but we all got separated in the woods when a group of zombies ambushed us.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Nick said quietly. “I’m just glad you made it. Can’t believe you even found us! How’s that possible?”
“I tracked you. Bet you didn’t know the bag of vials Dean took were tagged.”
I tried to make sense of his words. “Whoa! What? Wait a sec! What tracking device? You never told me about that.” I didn’t know whether to be pissed or hug the guy. Having Big Brother on my heels felt kind of intrusive, but at the same time, it was nice knowing that someone had known our whereabouts all along.
Ignoring my question, he eyed the girls cautiously, as though to warn us that he didn’t want to divulge that information in front of civilians. “I’ll explain everything, but how about some introductions first?”
I motioned toward Nick. “Well, you know my brother.”
Lucas playfully slugged him. “Nick? That’s your name? I’ve always called you The One-Man Army, dude. You’ve got more zombie kills than all of us put together. It’s good to put a name to that face.”
“Stop messing around.” Nick rolled his eyes. “I’m still pissed at you. I can’t believe you helped my brother break Val out without telling me.”
“Come on, man! You woulda done the same in my situation. When Dean came to me, I understood his point straightaway. The girl didn’t deserve the death she was going to get,” Lucas said. “I felt compelled to help her just as much as Dean did. When we see something going on that just isn’t right, we gotta step in and try to do something to fix it.”
“Had you told me the truth, I would’ve helped you,” Nick said.
Lucas sighed. “With those high morals of yours, always sticking to the rules and the code? I highly doubt that.”
Lucas was right. Nick would’ve come up with some stupid legal way that wouldn’t have worked in a million years. My brother always played by the rules, no matter what. It was his strength in many cases, but it also drove me nuts at times. Eager to change the subject and ease the tension, I continued with the introductions. “Lucas, this is Jackie and Claire,” I said. “We met them along the way.”
Lucas held out his hand. “Nice to meet you, beautiful ladies.”
They smiled and shook his hand.
“And where’s this drifter you picked up?”
“Tahoe’s sleeping right now,” Claire said. “He’s recovering from a knife wound.”
Lucas cocked a brow. “A knife wound? Who stabbed him?”
“He had a fight with his psychopath buddy. The dude’s doing just fine. It looks like it’s just a flesh wound.”
“You’ll have to introduce me,” Lucas said. “I’m a good judge of character.”
“Don’t get too attached,” Nick muttered. “We’re dropping the idiot off as soon as he’s better.”
I still couldn’t believe Lucas was there, yet there was something else I couldn’t wrap my head around either. “Okay, let’s get back to the topic at hand here. Don’t keep me in suspense. How did I get tagged like a wild animal?”
Before he could answer, a zombie ventured out of the woods, moaning.
Lucas pointed his gun and nonchalantly
shot it in the head. “It’s not safe out here. Let’s get moving, and I’ll fill you in on everything. Mind if I drive? We had to leave the cars behind, and I’ve kind of been hoofing it everywhere. I miss driving.”
Nick clapped his shoulder. “You’re still the same old Lucas. It’s great to see you, man. Even still, the answer is no. I’m driving.”
He nodded. “Fine.” He then turned his gaze to me. “I didn’t know it at the time, but every bag of vials had a tracking device installed.”
“I should’ve known,” I said.
Lucas opened the door and peered onto the back seat, where Val lay sprawled, still sleeping, her hair spread around her like a soft blanket. She looked so serene that it was hard to believe she was about to turn into one of those monsters, but there was no denying the inevitable.
“How’s your sister doing?” Lucas asked.
“Good as can be expected,” I said.
“I can’t believe you knew about Val being my sister before I did,” Nick said.
“Dean tells me everything. Why do you think I put my neck on the line like that to help her escape? She’s family, and I knew I had to help. I just hope the cure works. It hasn’t been tested enough, and no one knows what it’s capable of.” Lucas threw his backpack over the back seat. He scooted Val over and sat down.
“It’ll work,” I said in a stern voice. It just has to.
“Not again,” Nick said, glancing out the window.
“What?” I asked.
“The girls are having a hard time starting the Jeep again.”
“We need to hotwire them a better car,” I said. “Let’s keep an eye out for one.”
“Definitely,” Nick said.
“Okay, looks like they got it started,” Lucas said.
Nick pulled out onto the empty road.
Lucas then pulled a thin black computer out of the satchel dangling over his shoulder. It looked like an iPod or something. He turned it on, and it beeped loudly. “See? The bag with the vials is in here.”
Suspending Reality Page 19