Juan motioned for Emma to draw closer as he joined Rune and Macy. “I think there are zombies downstairs outside the rear entrance. I can hear them below us. The noise they’re making is locked to one spot, so I don’t think they’re inside yet.”
Rune lifted an eyebrow. “Maybe they’re trapped outside the back door. Without stairs, they ain’t gonna be able to climb up. They’re dumbshits.”
Emma agreed with Rune, but was worried. “Maybe the noise they’re making is what is pulling the runners to the area.”
Macy somberly wiped off the bayonet on her pants. “They do flock together, don’t they?”
“So we move fast, head downstairs, go out the front door, and run for the truck. I’m driving. Rune, you got shotgun. Macy and Emma, you need to climb into the back on the passenger side. Make it quick, understand?”
Juan’s directions were acknowledged by nods all around. He took point, striding down the hallway with his shotgun at the ready. Emma followed with Macy at her shoulder. Rune followed in the rear.
With the afternoon sun descending, the murky atmosphere inside the building was deepening. Emma followed close behind Juan down the rickety stairs. They reached the second floor and cautiously traversed the rotted area. The floor groaned beneath their feet and the moans that Emma had detected earlier grew louder. She slid the safety off on her pistol.
Their descent down the next staircase seemed so much noisier, every step eliciting a loud creak, but maybe it was because she was worried about the runners hearing them. The growls and moans of the dead increased in volume and reverberated through the building. The zombies gathered at the rear entrance definitely knew they were close by.
When Emma neared the bottom floor, she glanced over the railing at the open doorway down the hall. Three of the slower, dumber zombies were clawing at the floor and doorframe, clueless as to how to climb inside the building. Their swollen, blackened faces beneath their gnarled hair were cracked and oozing. They were fresher than most of the zombies Emma had seen recently, which was worrying.
At the sight of the humans, the zombies grew even louder, banging on the floor as they desperately tried to clamber inside. The doorway was too far off the ground for them to easily crawl into the building and the slow zombies were terrible climbers. Juan reached the ground floor and motioned for the others to hurry, pointing toward the front door down the entry hall. Emma’s foot had barely touched down on the cracked linoleum when pounding footsteps pulled her focus back to the open doorway.
A runner vaulted over the slower zombies, landed on their shoulders, and launched himself into the building. Emma raised her pistol to fire at him, but a shot behind her beat her to the punch. The bullet tore through the zombie’s forehead, a plume of brains and blood splattering the walls and floor.
“Clive taught me to shoot,” Macy said, hurrying past Emma.
Knowing that more runners were on the way, the women ran toward the front door, their footsteps reverberating through the old structure.
The shotgun fired and Juan shouted, “Hurry!”
Rune barreled down the hallway with Juan at his heels. “Got more coming!”
Breathing heavily, Macy pushed a heavy magazine rack away from the door that she must have placed there earlier as a barricade. Once it was out of the way, she started to twirl the locks on four deadbolts.
“Cover the porch, Emma,” Juan barked.
She stepped to one side so that when Macy opened the door she’d have a clear view of the front steps. Juan and Rune faced the back of the building, waiting. Loud thumps announced the arrival of more runners in the rear hallway. Just as the first one rounded the corner, Macy pulled the front door open.
The shotgun fired behind them, followed by the sound of a body crashing to the floor. The front stoop was clear and Emma slid out, finger sliding onto the trigger. She checked both sides of the porch and the street.
“Clear.”
“Get to the truck!” Juan ordered.
More gunshots followed, the shotgun and Glock roaring over the growls of the runners and the clatter of the shell casings striking the floor. Emma trusted the men to cover their retreat to the big red truck, but Macy hesitated to view the battle.
“Should we help them?”
Trying to keep an eye on the road, Emma took a quick look. The runners were closing in on Juan and Rune, leaping over their dead comrades to try to get to the men. They were so determined in reaching their prey, the runners crashed while attempting to push each other out of the way. Rune covered Juan as he reloaded while both men backtracked to the doorway.
“They’ve got it,” Emma said to Macy. “Let’s go!”
Racing to the truck, Emma pivoted about, making sure that none of the runners were coming around the side of the building. A few stray slow ones shuffled along the road, but they weren’t an immediate threat.
Behind her, the gunfire continued.
“Emma, you’re driving! Hurry!” Juan shouted.
“They just keep coming!” Macy gasped behind her. “There’s more down the road. Slow ones!”
“Cover me, Macy!”
Emma reached the pickup, jumped onto the side step, and rose to her toes to snatch the keys off the roof with her free hand. She didn’t want to let go of her pistol, so she fumbled a little until she hit the button on the car key fob. It didn’t beep, but the locks popped. Yanking the driver’s side door open, she cast a wary look over the road, measuring the distance between the pickup truck and the slower zombies. They were closing in surprisingly fast and would soon be a threat. Macy scurried around the front of the truck to the passenger side.
At the same time, Rune and Juan reached the porch while shooting at several persistent runners in pursuit of the men. The fast zombies were erratic in their movements making them difficult targets.
“Can they make it?” Macy asked, climbing into the truck.
It was always better to think positively even in dire situations. “Yeah. They can.”
A turn of the key brought the engine to life. Foot on the brake, Emma switched gears while Macy slid onto the rear bench. Juan and Rune hurried along the sidewalk toward the truck, weapons at the ready.
Two runners lunged out of the entrance and into the fading daylight. Without dead bodies obstructing their path, the runners headed straight toward the men. Rune had a clearer shot and took both out in quick succession.
The men scrambled to get to the vehicle.
Emma kept an eye out for more runners, nervously checking the mirrors.
Pivoting around, Juan got off a few shots at the shambling zombies closing in on their location. Rune pulled the passenger door open and Juan climbed into the back with Macy. Settling into the seat, Rune slammed his door shut.
“Let’s get out of here, Em,” Juan said, gripping the back of Emma’s seat and leaning forward.
From around the street corner, a small pack of runners appeared and aimed toward the front of the truck. They were fresh, their wounds leaking blood, leaving a trail of gore in their wake.
“Shit! That’s the Vargas kid! One of Ed’s people!” Juan exclaimed, slamming his fist against the console.
“Are those the missing people?” Emma’s heart was beating so hard, she could hear her pulse in her ears.
“Some of them. Shit! Shit!” Distraught, Juan sank back on the rear bench.
“We need to go! Those bastards will punch through a window to get to us!” Macy exclaimed.
Emma started to drive forward, but Rune unexpectedly shouted, “No! Stop!”
Rune stretched out one hand toward an empty spot in the street. “Quiet!”
“We should go. Now!” Macy urged. “More are coming behind us!”
Emma glanced into the rearview mirror and saw that the other woman was right.
Rune slammed his hand on the dashboard. “I said be quiet! I gotta concentrate!”
Macy started to retort, but Juan covered her mouth. A second later, he yelped when she bit him
.
His gaze fastened not on the runners, but something beyond them, Rune frowned, his wrinkles deepening around his eyes. He slumped back in the seat. “Okay, go.”
Seconds before the runners reached the truck, Emma switched gears, reversed, smacked two slow zombies out of the way with the rear bumper, and did a sharp U-turn. She drove fast in the opposite direction, casting worried glances at the runners in her rearview mirror. Following Juan’s terse directions, Emma eventually lost them in the maze of the downtown area. After a few minutes, they headed toward the Fort.
It wasn’t until the tension of their escape dissipated that Juan leaned forward again. “Who did you see, Rune?” He sounded afraid to hear the answer.
“Ed.”
“Shit! What did he say?”
“Nothing.”
Juan’s expression in the rearview mirror was not a happy one. “Nothing?”
“Who is Ed?” Macy asked.
“A friend who left the Fort,” Juan said.
Macy’s second question was directed at Rune. “And he’s dead and not talking?”
“Nope. But he did relay a message.”
Emma slowed as they neared the Fort’s outer gate.
“So what was it?” Juan demanded.
“He pointed.”
“Pointed at what?” Macy asked.
“That’s what we need to find out,” Rune answered.
“Maybe he was pointing to other survivors,” Juan muttered. “Maybe Belinda is alive.”
“Those runners were a good chunk of Ed’s group. We’ll be lucky if there are survivors.”
Sounding close to tears, Juan whispered, “Fuck this apocalypse.”
The gate creaked open and Emma drove forward.
14
Sunset Woes
Emma parked the car where she was instructed by Juan and hopped out of the driver’s seat. Handing the keys over to a mechanic, relief washed over her. She was back behind the high walls and she’d never felt so safe. Her heart rate was gradually returning to normal as the tightness in her chest diminished. It was scarier being out with a group than it had been out killing zombies alone. She’d only been accountable for her life then, and the increased responsibility added stress to dealing with the zombies. But, she had to admit, she liked the feeling that came with bringing someone into the safety of the Fort walls.
Macy cautiously stepped down onto the blacktop, taking in the bustle of the Fort. She looked about with awe in her dark eyes. Now that the terrible deed was done, Macy stood straighter and the worry that had shadowed her face was gone. While Emma suspected the woman would never admit that she was relieved to not be struggling to contain her zombified son, she looked like a great burden had been lifted from her.
“I didn’t expect this, Emma.”
“They’ve got some operation, huh?”
“It’s impressive,” Macy admitted.
Juan jumped down from the truck and landed with a thump beside Emma. To her surprise, he briefly clapped his hand on her shoulder. “You did good out there,” he said with a broad smile. “Great driving.”
Emma’s cheeks heated up. She was never good at accepting compliments, but she was glad that things had worked out, especially because it had been her idea to approach Macy. “No problem. Just doing my job.”
“It was nice not to be running for my life or dealing with those traps,” Macy added. “So thanks.”
“We have to take care of each other,” Emma said, reddening further. It was incredibly awkward feeling heroic.
“Speaking of taking care of each other,” Juan peered past Emma and Macy. “Where’s Rune?”
“He walked off in that direction,” Macy said, pointing toward the far end of the garage.
Bette and two guards arrived in front of them.
“It’s that time again,” Bette said. “Time to get fondled.”
Juan held out his arms while Bette examined him for bites. Macy looked taken aback for a moment, then realized what was happening.
“Does my cousin know what you’re up to?” Juan teased as Bette swept her hands down his legs.
“That joke is getting so old.” Bette rolled responded, rolling her eyes. “You’re clear.”
Emma went next to give Macy a few more seconds to accept the coming pat down. Bette was thorough and fast.
“Has anyone managed to get past you with a bite?” Macy asked when it was her turn.
“No. One guy tried, but he failed.”
Macy frowned. “Why would he try to fool you?”
“He had an unhealthy dose of denial. You’re clear.”
Rune stood alone away from the bustle of the Fort activity with his head down and shoulders hunched. Bette and her guards approached, but he didn’t appear to notice.
“Rune, we need to get your info to Nerit,” Juan called out, following the others.
Emma started after him, uncertain of where to go next, and Macy trailed behind her.
Rubbing his forehead, the medium acknowledged Juan’s comment with a nod but didn’t move from the spot where he was rooted. He looked a little disoriented while Bette patted him down.
“You’re clear, Rune,” she said.
The medium gave her a quizzical look for a second.
“You okay?” Bette asked.
“Yes, ma’am.”
Although Bette didn’t look convinced, she moved on to check the people coming through the gate.
“Rune, we need to talk to Nerit,” Juan said again.
“I heard you the first damn time.” Sounding cranky, Rune dramatically swept his hand in front of him. “Along with the rest of them.”
Emma grasped what he was implying. “The other ghosts found you, didn’t they?”
Rune blinked his eyes rapidly, as though trying to avoid looking at something, then turned to face the three people staring at him worriedly. “Let’s make this fast. I can’t stay.”
Juan bristled. He’d been on edge with Rune all day and his expression hardened. “What do you mean? We need you to show us where Ed was pointing!”
“I will show you, but I can’t stay here!”
“Dudes, chill,” Macy chided both of them, holding out her hands in a soothing manner.
“I’m trying, ma’am, but it’s hard when I’m being bombarded by a pack of ghosts with separate agendas.”
Giving Rune a bewildered look, Macy took a step back from him. “Who are these ghosts? You said that my son-”
“It’s not anyone you know. It’s not anyone I know. It’s a bunch of lost spirits trying to resolve their issues so they can move on and they’re damn loud.”
“Rune, you can take care of them later. Right now you have to help us find out what Ed wanted,” Juan insisted.
“Juan, I like you, but you need to back off,” Rune responded, a clear warning in his tone. “You don’t know what this is like. I can only help so much before I’m teetering on the edge of losin’ my damn mind.”
Exhaling with frustration, Juan set his hands on his hips and stared at the other man. “Okay, I know I’m being an asshole, but if any of Ed’s people are out there we gotta save them.”
“We both know this is about Belinda, but I can’t tell you if she’s alive or dead,” Rune said. “Ed didn’t speak a word about anyone or anything. All he did was point.”
“If she’s alive, I have to try to save her.”
“Hey, Juan!” a woman’s voice called out.
Katarina strolled toward them, her rifle slung across her shoulders. The homely woman’s red hair was French braided tightly against her head and slung over one shoulder. Emma couldn’t help but wonder who Katarina had been in her former life. She exuded quiet strength and pure grit, but didn’t necessarily come across as someone who’d been in law enforcement or the military. Seeing Macy, she paused and spoke into her walkie-talkie while Juan jogged over to join her.
Emma cautiously approached Rune, recognizing his distress was because of her request to help Macy. His
keen blue eyes flicked toward her.
“I’m sorry,” Macy said, feeling awkward and guilty. “This is because of me.”
“I made the choice to help. Not just because you asked, but because Clive also asked.”
“I do appreciate what you did. When I...when I...” Macy struggled to retain her composure. “I felt something when I did what I had to do. It was like the world sighed with relief. Julian is at peace because of you. I thank you for that.”
“I did what needed to be done. Which is why I need to head out soon.”
“It’s dangerous out there,” Emma said.
While listening to Rune and Macy, Emma kept an eye on Juan and Katarina. They were in a deep discussion and Katarina lifted her walkie-talkie to her mouth a few times.
Rune rubbed his temples, wincing as though in pain. “I’ll go fuckin’ crazy if I stay here. One dude in particular will not shut up.”
Clearly concerned, Macy leaned toward Rune. “I don’t want you to run off because of me. Can I do something?”
“There ain’t nothin’ you can do. Once the ghosts know what I am, they bombard me. It’s like having a room full of people just yellin’ at ya nonstop. I have to leave the area to get any damn peace.”
The guilt Emma was experiencing blotted out her earlier joy at their rescue of Macy. “Can you come back?”
Rune nodded. “Eventually.”
When Yolanda and Lewis appeared, Emma wasn’t surprised. The Fort people were efficient. Katarina had probably called in Macy’s arrival. Lewis ran to his aunt, his arms outstretched, and Macy caught his skinny body and held him tight.
“Auntie!”
“Hey, baby.”
“I didn’t think you’d come!”
Macy kissed his cheek. “I didn’t think so either, but I’m here.”
Tears in his eyes, Lewis hugged Macy again. Though he was taller than his aunt, he looked child-like in her grasp. Emma recognized how much Lewis had needed his aunt while she’d been focused on her dead son. Maybe Macy recognized it too, because she held him tighter, tears glimmering on her cheeks.
Yolanda stopped a few feet away, beaming at the reunion.
It did feel good to see a family brought back together after suffering so much.
As The World Dies | Book 4 | After Siege Page 12