“My dad could get through. I wonder why he could and Ali couldn’t. She doesn’t live too far from my parents.”
“Don’t know,” he said. “It’s supposed to be easier to send texts during an emergency. Something about phone lines always getting tied up. Maybe we’ve both just had bad timing so far.”
It was pretty strange that both Sam and Ali just had bad timing. When two people in the same area had the same service provider, having one who could almost always get reception and one who never could wasn’t normal. Then again, hordes of walking corpses feasting on the flesh of the living wasn’t exactly normal either.
“So, do you really think this will be as bad as it is in the movies?” Sam asked. “I mean, this whole zombie apocalypse thing? There’s no chance of, say, someone coming in and wiping out all the zombies? Or maybe someone actually finding a cure later?”
“I thought so at first. But nobody is doing anything because they don’t even think there are zombies. You saw that guy at the gun shop. He watched someone become a zombie and he still just insisted that she was sick or something.”
“Well, it was his mom. Maybe he was just in denial.”
“Maybe. But still, there’s an entire town that believes you can avoid getting the virus just by using hand sanitizer. And even if the CDC really does come up with a cure...well, the virus is spreading fast. Not just because nobody believes in it. The zombies have spread across two states in as many days. They’re like rabbits or something.”
Sam snickered. “Did you just compare zombies to rabbits?”
“Just in their procreation habits. Actually, when you look at the human population growth lately, they’re a lot like us too. I have this crazy theory about zombies.”
“What’s your theory?” Sam asked. “That zombies are like rabbits? Or humans?”
“Well, really, they’re just like any other predatory animal. They’re driven to hunt and procreate because that’s what keeps their species going. They just do it a little differently than other animals.”
Sam sat up. “By biting, right? That’s how people become zombies. They’re bitten by other zombies. Or they get the virus from the water.”
“Exactly. But the zombies don’t always stop at biting. If they can, they also eat our flesh. Did you see how they all crowded around everyone at the gas station? It was like a feeding frenzy. And before they heard Ashleigh’s cell phone, they were completely focused on us. But they even abandoned her as soon as they sensed all those other people and realized there was an even better meal close by.”
“So, what does that have to do with humans?”
Dallas leaned in closer to him and lowered her voice. “It’s hard wired into our DNA for us to want to have sex, because it ensures reproduction and, therefore, our survival. But it’s also fun. Or…so I’ve heard.” She blushed and had to look away from Sam. “Lots of people who don’t even want kids are having sex. Maybe that’s what eating flesh is for zombies. It gives them pleasure. Because they are predatory, but they’re also dead. They don’t need to eat.”
“Wow,” Sam said. “You really have given this a lot of thought.” Dallas noticed his arm slinking across the seat, close to her shoulders.
“Only over the past few days.” She shook her head. “You know, when you think about it, it doesn’t make a lot of sense. All our lives we’ve been taught that human beings are the dominant species on earth. We’re at the top of the food chain. Zombies aren’t necessarily that intelligent, but...”
“But they’re evolving, right?” Sam said. His fingers grazed the top of her neck. “At least the ones hunting on their own. When we saw Tatum at the House of Blues, she was really slow moving and it was easy for you to take her out. But that zombie in the gun shop yesterday, and the one in the church...they were really fast. And stealthy. Why is that?”
Dallas sat up and stretched, her leg nudging Sam’s. He didn’t move it away. “They must be evolving,” she responded. “You know how some scientists say the dinosaurs died out because they couldn’t adapt? And some people think that’s what will happen to humans one day. Our time as the dominant species on earth will just...end.” She turned her head; her lips weren’t far from his now. She licked them and continued.
“I’ve never believed it because at church they always tell us about Revelation and everything. But Sam...what if this really is the end? What if the zombies are evolving to take over the earth?”
“Come on, you can’t think like that.” His hand moved down and she felt his warm touch on her shoulder. “We have something really big that separates us from zombies.”
“What is that?”
He took her hand with his free one and laced their fingers together. “Look, you can’t tell a zombie not to bite people, or a lion not to attack a zebra. It’s in their nature. And it’s in our nature to have sex, or at least to want to have sex.” He leaned in even closer, and she could feel his breath on her cheek. “But we have the ability to control our desires.” His lips were just inches from hers. “Even though it’s...really hard to do sometimes.”
And then he was kissing her. His grip on her shoulder tightened and she unlaced their fingers and snaked her arm around his waist. Their tongues found each other and a natural rhythm. She felt his hand on her back, sneaking slowly past her belt loops and down to her thighs.
Dallas had had a few kisses in her high school years, and a handful of boyfriends. Most of them were nice guys, and she really liked them. But kissing them was nothing compared to kissing Sam. The butterflies she felt in her stomach when he touched her went wild as his hands moved over her. His lips were soft and sweet, and she found herself coming up and taking little gasps of air, only to attack his lips again a moment later. Her heart pounded at the speed of light. He leaned down slowly until she was lying across the back seat, and his hands slid to her inner thigh. She sighed with pleasure.
She broke away when she heard moaning that wasn’t hers or Sam’s. The zombies were in the distance, behind the gas station, but in a big enough group that she could clearly hear them. She crawled out from under Sam and opened the car door slowly. She couldn’t see Pierce and Talia, but they must have heard the zombies too because seconds later the gas station door opened and they ran out. The shuffling grew faster and the moaning louder.
“Pierce! Tally!” Dallas shouted. “Run!”
They ran to the car, but the horde quickly caught up with them. One of the zombies grabbed the back of Pierce’s t-shirt. He screamed and fought it off, climbing into the driver’s seat and slamming the door. Another zombie caught up to Talia before she could shut her door. Dallas grabbed Talia, who kicked the zombie hard. It fell back, but the others were gaining on them. Dallas slammed the door shut and screamed, “Drive, Pierce!”
“Where are we going?” he shouted back. “We haven’t even filled up the tank yet!”
“It doesn’t matter. Just drive!”
Pierce sped down the road. The hordes followed, the two or three in the lead almost catching up to their bumper before slowing down. After a few hundred yards, they finally lost them.
Pierce continued driving, dodging overturned trash cans, wrecked cars, and the occasional corpse. This town was apparently abandoned, just like the last few they had been in. And, just like those, Dallas had the distinct feeling they would never be restored.
Chapter Ten
The origins of the deadly virus that has claimed dozens of lives in the Southern United States remains unknown.
The virus purportedly began on the night of Friday, October 7, when mysterious attackers killed more than a dozen crew members backstage at the House of Blues. Among the confirmed dead was rising pop star and Louisiana native Tatum Jones, who performed at the venue earlier that night.
The attackers, who were described by witnesses as “looking like death warmed over,” approached a nearby restaurant and proceeded to attack several more victims. Each victim attacked, despite recei
ving the best medical treatment possible, was pronounced dead over the course of the following twenty-four hours, only to wake up and attack even more victims.
The origins of this mysterious illness are still unknown. Radicals are calling it a zombie apocalypse. The virus continues to claim the lives of believers and naysayers alike across the country. The Mississippi government is advising residents to boil all water before drinking it.
A memorial in Tuscaloosa, Alabama has been destroyed by victims of a mysterious, viral disease. The memorial was set up by Tuscaloosa resident Jenna Lee Miller in honor of pop singer Tatum Jones, who died mysteriously Friday night. Jones is believed by many to be a victim of the virus, which afflicts patients with flu-like symptoms for two to twelve hours before they fall unconscious. They appear dead, only to rise up minutes later and attack others. Conspirators refer to the virus as a “zombie epidemic.” When Miller was interviewed, she was only quoted as saying, “I should have believed them.”
They ran on fumes for longer than Dallas thought they would. After about thirty miles, the car finally sputtered to a halt in a wooded area. Even though it was getting dark, nobody wanted to sleep. They should have filled up the gas tank before they went in, Dallas realized, but she was too busy arguing with Talia to enforce it. Stupid, stupid decision. That was the kind of thing that would get them killed — putting emotions before logic and survival skills.
“So Dallas,” Talia said, “What should we do now? Do you think the horde will still catch up to us?”
“I...well...” Dallas hesitated.
“I think they will,” Pierce said. “We all saw how they ran back there. And we can’t go anywhere anymore. So what do we do?”
“I don’t know,” Dallas confessed. “Lock the doors?”
“That’s not going to work. What if they catch up with us during the night? You saw how they moved. The minute they sensed human flesh, they found us. We’d basically be stuck in here. And then what?”
“Okay then. What do you think we should do?”
“I say we make a run for it.” He pointed to a steepled roof in the distance. “There’s a town out there, and it’s probably empty. Even if it’s not, we can still find somewhere to stay. It’s still kind of light out and the street lights are on, so why not? There’s got to be a better form of shelter there.”
The street lights along the highway flickered on and off, and Dallas could barely make out a row of houses down the road. “I don’t know, Pierce. It’s getting dark really fast.”
“So what’s your plan? To just sit here until morning and hope the zombies don’t catch up to us? Yet another great plan, Dallas. Just like your last one that led us here.”
She slammed her fist on the back of his seat. “Dammit, Pierce! Why the hell do you keep contradicting everything I say? If you want to make all the group’s decisions, just say so.”
“I’m not saying that, Dallas. This isn’t just about zombies, and it isn’t just about your own ego. This is about survival. And we have to work together if we’re going to survive.”
“Do you really think we’re going to survive if we do this? There could be zombies anywhere out there, and they can and will find us.”
“Do you really think we’re going to survive if we don’t go out there? This car is no more or less dangerous than this road or the town or anywhere else. Would you rather stay put and take a chance on getting cornered?”
“Dallas,” Talia said, “Pierce is right. We can’t just sit here and do nothing. And I know you didn’t mean to hurt me earlier and I’m sorry I got mad. I know you were just looking out for me. But I think we need to listen to Pierce.”
“Let’s do it, Dal,” Sam said. “I can’t just sit here all night.”
She wasn’t about to admit it, but her heart was pounding in her chest and she knew her friends were right. “Fine,” she grumbled, throwing off her seatbelt. “Let’s go.”
Nobody spoke as they made their way down the road. It was almost dark, and the street lights barely flickered. The only other lights available to them were on their cell phones.
After nearly a quarter of a mile, they walked by an abandoned coffee shop. “Wonder if I could break in and make myself another latte,” Pierce joked. He was wearing a blue sweater Dallas hadn’t seen before then. Sam and Talia snickered, but Dallas ignored him.
“Hey, my internet works here,” Talia said, holding up her phone. “Guess the coffee shop has wi-fi.”
“I wonder how much longer we’ll have internet,” Sam said. “I don’t miss it as much as I thought I would. But it has been useful.”
“What did we do on the internet before all this? Looked up makeup tips? Sometimes turned in school assignments or instant messaged.”
“Oh yes, I looked up makeup tips all the time,” Sam said in a high pitched voice. “I can’t tell you how much they helped me with my brows.” Talia and Pierce laughed.
“All the websites still up now are news,” Talia said. “And there isn’t even much of that anymore.”
“I wonder if the TV’s still work,” Sam said.
“Probably not. Except maybe some news channels. But who knows, maybe a few stations are still airing sitcoms or something.”
He made a face. “Who would want to watch sitcoms right now?”
“Lots of people. They need an escape.”
The forests cleared up within the next mile, leading into the next part of town. “Hey, look guys!” Pierce pointed to the steeple they had seen in the distance earlier; it was only a few hundred yards away now and clearly belonged to a nice antebellum-looking home.
“I hope they have hot water,” Talia said. “I’d kill for a shower.”
“Wait, are you sure we should go in there?” Dallas said. “That’s somebody’s house.”
“There’s nobody here, Dallas,” Pierce replied. “Have you seen anybody since we got out of the car? I think this town is completely abandoned.” He nodded in the direction of the house. “Come on guys, it’s almost dark. We should get moving.”
The house still had electricity, so they were able to get a look around. Several credenzas and a state of the art entertainment system lined the living room, complete with a beautiful leather couch. The carpeted floor gave way to an arched opening that led into the kitchen, which had marble floors and dozens of glossy cabinets. “Wow,” Dallas breathed. “This house is beautiful inside and out.”
“Just like you,” Sam quipped. Dallas rolled her eyes.
She didn’t think there would be much food left, but there was take-out in the fridge that only looked a couple of days old. A few soup cans sat in the pantry amid crackers and half eaten bags of chips. This family must have left in a hurry.
She joined Sam in the living room and brushed by the coffee table near the television. There was a layer of dust over it, except on one tiny square in the middle.
“They must have taken a photo album with them,” Dallas said. “It’s about the right size. All the valuable things they could have taken and they chose that. I’d say that’s a pretty good choice.”
“I would too,” Sam said. “It’s kind of hot in here. I’m going to go look for an air conditioner or something.”
Dallas stayed in the living room, where Pierce and Talia soon joined her. Thankfully, Talia decided to sit in between her and Pierce. Dallas could easily forgive her sister — she had been doing that her entire life. But she was still upset with Pierce for proving her wrong. No matter how childish she knew it was, she hadn’t quite been able to shake it yet.
She spotted a remote on the coffee table. “Think the cable still works too?” she said.
Talia shrugged. “No harm in trying.”
To her surprise, the television flicked on. It had been left on a news channel and, as expected, the anchorman was reporting on the disaster.
The White House has released an official statement declaring the living dead responsible for transmitting the vi
rus that has killed over two hundred people across the Southeastern United States. For the past seventy-two hours, government officials have denied the existence of the living dead, more commonly referred to as zombies. Now, they say, all evidence points to it.
Finally, Dallas thought, the government does something smart. But she kept silent.
Sam came back in a few minutes later. “Found it,” he said. “It should get cooler in here soon. Oh, and there’s a garage. There’s a car in there, so hopefully we can get out of here once we get daylight again. There are some boards in there, too. I want to board up the downstairs windows, just for some extra security.” He plopped down on the couch and put his arm around Dallas. She snuggled in and rested her head on his shoulder.
“So what’s going on?” Sam asked.
“The death toll is over two hundred,” Dallas told him. “Yesterday it wasn’t even a hundred. It’s spreading fast. I think people are finally starting to realize how serious this is.”
“Don’t you think they would have caught on before now?” Pierce said. “The government is doing everything they can to communicate with people, and all the papers and news reports talk about the virus. But people keep evacuating, and they’re all coming together so the virus is spreading. Even if they don’t think it’s a zombie virus, it’s obviously dangerous.”
Dallas sat up. “A few weeks ago at work, we ran out of pepperoni and couldn’t make pepperoni pizzas. We put this huge sign on the door and another one by the register saying we were out. But tons of people still came in and asked for pepperoni pizzas. They should have known we were out, because the information was right in front of them. But they just weren’t paying attention, didn’t think to look at it. Maybe they didn’t care, or didn’t realize that it had important information. Obviously that’s not nearly as extreme. But some people are so wrapped up in their own little worlds that they just don’t pay attention to things going on around them.”
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