“Get out of your truck with your hands up NOW!!” I yell at them.
Nate is on the other side of the truck with his rifle aimed right at the driver’s head. That guy doesn’t understand that Nate can hit him from over 500 feet!! He may just look like a punk teenage boy but he’s deadly with a rifle. We can thank Hank for that!
Their doors open up slowly and they get out. I hear a crack and a ping right next to me. Son of a bitch they just shot at me!! Nate pulls the trigger and takes the driver out in the knee, he goes down screaming.
Good boy Nate!! That will teach that asshole not to shoot at someone’s mom ever again.
“Stop your shooting or I swear to God we will take you all out!!’ I yell at them. “Let’s work this out without anyone else getting hurt!”
The one huge guy on the passenger side spoke up, “Really, no one getting hurt, you fucking bitch!! That kid just shot my brother!! I’m fucking going to make you wish you never came out here. I can’t wait to get my hands on that hot little body of yours!!” He grins slowly at me.
I totally understand his meaning. The pig! Pete’s friend takes aim and I shake my head no. Nate let out a low growl.
“Easy Nate!” I say.
He just keeps staring at the guys out in front of us. The woman that’s with them keeps giving me dirty looks. I’m not worried about her I know if push comes to shove, I can take her.
“Listen, for the last fucking time, put your guns down. And no one ELSE will get shoot. Why are you following the RV anyways?” I say.
Chapter 15
“We wanted it, you bitch, we’re hungry and we could live in there,” the woman says.
“Ok bitch really? Do you know me? I think not so shut the hell up!!” I say. I’m now really getting pissed at that bitch. She wants to hurt my family and take what’s theirs.
“And that bitch in the RV was throwing things out the window and almost making us wreck,” she says.
Chuckling, I look dead at her. “That bitch as you call her is my sister!! So don’t be calling her a bitch. Only I can do that,” I say.
Looking at Pete I say, “Pete get in the RV and go! Your friends and I we will stay here and not let these morons follow you guys. Nate go with them.”
“Mom no!!” Nate starts to say.
I head around the truck. “Go Nate! I need you with them. Nate make sure they get home. You know I have to do this. Think of everyone back home. What could happen to them? I will hitch a ride with Pete’s friends they can’t be bad or Pete wouldn’t bring them with him you know that.”
“Ok Mom I’ll do it but I don’t like it!!” He grumbles and gets into his truck, starts it heads around the other truck.
I see Pete talking to one of the two guys that came with him and they both look at me. The guy nods and Pete gets into the RV and pulls away. I keep my 9mm pointed at the others until they are far enough away that I know they can’t shoot at them. Looking over at the two that Pete brought with them, they have their guns trained on them as well.
“Ok guys listen up I’m going to come and take your keys out of your truck and walk right on by. You stay where you are or I’ll shoot the shit out of you. You hear me?” I say.
They start grumbling and I know I’m going to have trouble with that woman. Grinning, I hope I do. I need to let off some steam. It’s been all bottled up for way too long. I start walking and the guys keep their guns trained on the others. I get to the truck and reach in and grab the keys. I stand up and turn around when that woman plows into me, knocking us both to the ground. I land hard! Ugh!! Knocking the wind out of me a little I lay there stunned looking up into her grinning face. I grab at her hair and yank to the side to get her off of me. The others run forward but I don’t take my eyes off the woman.
“No don’t. I got this! Keep them other fuckers from coming any closer!!” I say to them.
The one guy that I talked to before chuckles and shakes his head. “There’s no way I’m getting in the middle of this. This is going to be good,” he says.
I look at him. “Shut the hell up, you ass, or your next.”
I never get to hear what he was about to say because at the same time that woman rushes me again and I see the Daryl guy pistol whip the other guy. He falls to his knees. I hit the ground for the second time today, hard! Fuck!! That’s it now I’m pissed. I elbow her in the nose and she falls off the side of me. Getting up I grab her by her hair to make her stand.
“You stupid bitch!!” I yell and punch her right in the mouth. She hits the ground and gets back up slowly. Looking at her she’s got blood coming from her nose and mouth!! I might have even knocked a few teeth loose. She takes a swing at me and just grazes my check. I come back with a kick into the stomach and knock her on her knees.
“Stop, stop, I won’t do it again,” she says.
I swing my leg around and connect my foot to her face and she goes down. I bend down and grab her by the hair I pull her face up. She has blood coming out of her mouth like one of those zombies.
“I ever catch you around my house OR my family I will kill you without a thought!!You hear me?” I say.
She nods her head yes and I let go of her hair. I look up at where the guys are standing and I see the one with the bow grinning, shaking his head.
“What so fucking funny?” I say to him.
“Nothing,” he says and walks over to me. He throws a first aid kit at the guy on the ground. “You ready to go ninja girl!!”
Grinning, I nod my head yes and start walking away.
“Hey wait,” the guy on the ground says. “You can’t leave us out here like this. We’ll die!”
I turn around and look at them all. “I’ll drop your keys about three miles down the road. You can get them there. But don’t let me see any of you again or next time I will shoot first talk later!!” I say.
Turning around I head to the truck and hop in. I scoot to the middle and crossbow guy gets in next to me. The other guy gets in and takes off. Wow this is a little weird I don’t know either of them.
“So I’m Egypt. Gabby’s little sister,” I say.
The crossbow guy talks up, “I’m Sal and this is Mack.”
“Nice to meet you, Egypt,” they both say.
“Nice to meet you too. Wish this was under better circumstances, but I guess this is all we have.”
“Hey where did you learn how to fight like that? Man you could have kicked her ass. I know you was holding back,” Sal says, laughing.
“I took self-defense classes and stuff like that,” I say.
We slip into a comfortable silence for a while. Sitting in the middle of these two guys is a bit uncomfortable. Looking out of the corner of my eye I glance at Sal. He’s well built way taller than my five-foot-one-inch self. He’s a little scruffy around the edges and has arms the size of trees. Looking into his face I see that he’s grinning looking right back at me. Blushing I look away, great!! He just had to have noticed me checking him out. What’s a girl supposed to do?
Looking up at where we’re at. “Hey, we need to make a left coming up at the blinking light.” Digging out my cell phone I punch in Nate’s number and hold it to my ear. It doesn’t even ring once and he’s picked it up.
“Mom are you ok? Where are you? You need me to come get you I can turn around?”
“Stop Nate! I’m fine,” I tell him. “We are just coming up to 224. We will be home soon. How are you guys? Are you at the house yet?”
“Yeah, we are just pulling in Mom. Those things are everywhere and be careful of those guys you’re with.” He pauses like he’s thinking what to say next.
“Nate I’m fine. You’ll like Rambo and Daryl!!” I say laughing. Cute names I gave them I think. I look at them and they don’t look that happy about the new names. “OK babe I’ll see you when we get home. Have Uncle Pete drive the RV in the back. Our ETA is about 20 minutes. Love ya babe,”
“Love ya Mom and Mom be careful,” Nate says.
I put my phon
e in my pocket and I see Mack is grinning. “What?” I say to him.
“Was that your son?” he asks.
“Yes, he’s my oldest out of the boys.”
“He’s a bit protective of you isn’t he? He doesn’t trust us to bring his mommy back safe and sound? If he’d seen his mom about 15 minutes ago he wouldn’t think like that.”
“Whoa, whoa. First off, it’s been five years with just them and me. And we’re a close family. So if he worries about me what of it? And you’re right I can handle myself. That’s never been a problem,” I say.
“Sorry I wasn’t trying to be rude ya know, just stating a fact,” Mack says.
“No you were just being a prick and don’t say that you weren’t!!”
“Ok guys let’s take the fight to the zombies not between us,” Sal says looking over at us.
I see that Mack has slowed down as we pass the school. They both stare at the school like they can’t believe this is happening.
Sal looks at me and asks, “Is that where your boys went to school? Did you have to go save them?”
Looking him in the eyes, I shake my head yes. I don’t want to relive the horrors of that day but I know at some point it will be talked about. Now however, is just not the time!
I look away from him and look straight ahead. I don’t need to see it again and again.
“Hey Mack speed it up will ya man!”
I look at Sal, grateful that he has said something. Mack hits the gas and we are at Duck Creek in no time at all.
“Hey make a right here,” I tell Mack.
We make it to Berlin Station Rd in three minutes flat. I have to say that guy can drive. He doesn’t slow down when we turn on the road. I slam into Sal, just about falling into his lap. Mm, his body is hard. Grinning he sits me back up and I mumble sorry to him. My face has to be the reddest shade I’ve ever had.
“Hey you know what the brakes do?” I ask Mack.
“Nope thought we were in a hurry to get back,” he says.
“Really?” Giving him a dirty look I shake my head.
We are just about at my mom’s house. “Hey slow down and turn into the driveway on the right. I want to check it out. It’s my mom and dad’s house and earlier when we came through here I saw that windows were broken,” I say.
“What? Is your mom and dad still there?” Sal says.
“No they’re up at my house but the house was only left empty five hours ago,” I say. “It sure doesn’t take long for looters to start in on it. They must have been watching the house for some time, just waiting for us to leave.”
They didn’t say anything as we pull in and head up the driveway. Mack stops the truck and we sit there for a few minutes looking over to Sal.
“Hey open up! I want to take a look around,” I say.
He looks around and opens up the door and gets out, so that I can do the same. I go to walk around him and he puts his hand on my arm. He looks down at his hand I notice that I’m bleeding from my shoulder.
“Hey Egypt that needs to be looked at,” he says. “I bet it happened when that crazy bitch tackled you to the road.”
Looking at my shoulder, ugh it’s messed up pretty bad, looks like there might even be gravel in it. “It can wait. I want to check the house first. Why oh sexy EMT are you going to take care of it!!” I say grinning at him.
He looks me right in the eyes. “Well yes that’s what I do,” he says, grinning.
OK that backfired on me!! Blushing, I say, “I will get it looked at back home.” Grabbing my 9mm from my hip I walk past him and head into the garage. They are right behind me and just as armed.
“Listen Egypt, let one of us go in first. I mean you know us being guys and all,” Mack says.
“OMG no, you just didn’t!!!” Looking behind me, I say, “Don’t think you guys are going to pull that shit with me.” I head inside and things look the same in here. Heading to the door I slowly open it. I go up the steps and head into the kitchen.
Chapter 16
OMG looking around the trashed cabinets. Things are thrown all over the place. I bend down to pick up an orange bowl. Falling to my knees, looking around I can’t hold it in anymore the tears start to fall. My life is over. All I have is the memories. And I don’t know if it’s going to be enough. Leaning over I sit down and just sit there in the middle of my mom’s kitchen. The guys leave me alone to grieve and walk into the living room to let me be.
Looking through the tears, this isn’t my mom’s anymore. Where there once was tidiness and familiarity, the closeness, the feeling of home, is now cold, cool hatred, utter chaos. Standing back up I throw the orange bowl away in the trash can.
Wiping my eyes I keep looking around, walking into the bedroom. It looks the same, dressers open, clothes torn to shreds and Hank’s papers and magazines thrown all over the place. Looking at the wall someone spray painted an anarchy sign on it. I let that burn into my memory.
I walk into the bathroom and into the walk-in closet, my mom’s clothes are thrown all over the place. I feel a hand on my shoulder and whip around my gun at the ready. Sal doesn’t move or take his hand off my shoulder. I lower the gun and look back to where the shoes are just carelessly thrown around. I bring my hand up and put it over his. I know he’s just trying to comfort me. I squeeze it gently.
“Egypt it’s time to go,” he says.
Wiping my eyes I nod OK. I head into the kitchen where Mack is standing looking outside. I’m glad he’s not looking at me because I don’t think I could stand anyone’s pity right now. This is something I have to be able to deal with. No one can do it for me. We head out the door and don’t look back. I won’t be coming back. This part of my life is over. Sal helps me into the truck and we head out of the driveway, heading home to a future no one knows, to a life that is completely changed.
As we pull to a stop right in front of the house the gates start to open. “Hey let me out I’ll keep watch,” I say.
“Egypt you need that shoulder looked at. You don’t want to get an infection in it,” Sal says.
Looking at him I say, “I know I will once the gates are closed and everyone’s inside.” He doesn’t look convinced so I climb over him, open up the door and get out. I pull my 9mm and walk to the back of the truck. My shoulder does hurt. I’ll have to get it cleaned up. Nate comes out and walks over to me.
“Mom, what the hell happened to your shoulder?”
“It’s nothing, that woman and I got into a fight and I hit the pavement. It’ll be fine.”
“Mom that needs to be cleaned up,” Nate says.
“I know and it will be. Let’s head in. Everyone’s inside now.” We start walking up the driveway as the gate closes behind us.
Opening the front door we head in. Looking into the living room I see John, Tabby, Liam and Tomas watching TV. I head into the kitchen and everyone else is sitting around the table. Hank looks at me with questions in his eyes.
Shaking my head, I say, “I know we all need to talk but right now I’m going to get cleaned up and by then we can have dinner. Then we can decide who is staying where, that kind of thing. I don’t think we will have any trouble with those guys. I know everyone has questions but I have to get cleaned up.”
I head down the hall to my bedroom. Opening the door I go in with Herk and Rufus at my heels. I close the door and grab a fresh change of clothes and head for the bathroom. Turning the water on, I start taking off my old ones. At this rate I’m going to be doing laundry two times a day. Tossing them on the ground I step into the hot water and almost immediately feel better. There’s nothing like a good hot shower to make you feel better. I finish up and hop out to dry off. Getting into the new clothes I brush my hair out. Ouch the brush just hit my shoulder. Moving my hair away from the injury I look at it in the mirror. Damn it does look bad I’m going to have to get someone to clean this up I guess. Pulling my hair up into a messy bun I head out to my room. Looking up, I stop dead in my tracks. Sal is sitting on my bed pet
ting my traitorous dogs.
“What the hell are you doing in my room?” I say.
“I told you that shoulder needs to be cleaned and bandaged,” he says.
“Oh and you’re going to be the one to do it?”
“Yes! Or I can go get Mack?” he says.
Letting out a sign I think he’s right I guess I can’t really stand Mack. He’s the lesser of two evils.
“Egypt I’m not going to bite!” Softer he says, “Much!”
I walk slowly over and sit on my bed next to him. “Let’s get this done,” I say. I sit straight up watching him open up the first aid box. He grabs a few things and looks over at me.
“This is going to sting a bit. It looks like you have some dirt in there,” he says.
He touches my shoulder and I jump.
Looking at me, he grins. “Oh stop fidgeting it’s not going to be that bad,” he says.
“Just do it already. We have to go out there and get things done. There’s a lot to do,” I say.
He starts cleaning my wound, yeah right it’s not going to hurt much. Watching him as he takes tweezers and picks stuff out of it. Hissing!! “Damn Sal, take it easy,” I tell him.
“I’m almost done with this part. You shouldn’t have let her tackle you in the first place Egypt!” he says grinning.
Glaring over at him, I keep my mouth shut. My mom always told me to pick my battles. And this one I couldn’t win because he’s right. I take the chance to really look at him. He really is hot. He’s got dark hair kind of long. I bet if he took it down from the rubber band it would come to just under his chin. His face is chiseled and lips full. Oh I’ve been caught checking him out. I can’t seem to take my eyes off him. I’m still looking at them lips and now they’re grinning at me.
Letting out a huff, I look at my shoulder and it’s bleeding freely now. Looking up at him, I ask, “Is it supposed to be doing that? I thought you were trying to stop it from bleeding!”
“It’s fine but deeper than I thought. You’re going to be sore today and stiff by tomorrow,” he says. He takes a couple of pads and applies pressure and takes gauze and wraps it up under my arm and finishes it off with some tape to hold it together. He starts putting stuff away.
Outbreak The Beginning (The Outbreak Series Book 1) Page 8