Zombie Overload (Books 1 & 2): Dying To Live & Fighting To Live

by C. M. Wright

  Startling me, I flinch, then cry out with pain. He walks past me to the other cot, throwing out "Sorry" as he goes. You don't sound very sorry! But, again, smart enough to keep my mouth shut.

  He pulls his cot over a few feet beside mine and makes it up with blankets, placing his pillow at the top. Then he hands me my meds and a bottle of water. I take them as I watch him watching me.

  "What's this?" He asks, pulling the black bag to him.

  "I don't know. Jake brought it when he brought the meds." I watch as he opens it and pulls out several sets of black fatigues in my size, more black socks, and another pair of black boots. Setting those aside, Will digs back in and pulls out...GASP!...a stack of camo fatigues that will fit Will. He pauses, looks at the black ones, then the camos, then at me. I try to shrink my eyes back to normal size and plaster on a fake smile before he notices. Like, everything's fine. No big deal. See my everything's-fine-no-big-deal smile and innocent look? He doesn't buy it. He shoves the fatigues inside the bag, picks the bag up, and throws it as hard as he can against the wall beside the door.

  "Will! What's wrong?"

  "So, you and Mr. Military Man have to go off alone, together, you both are constantly having private conversations, neither one of you can keep your damn hands off one another, and now you have two are the only ones allowed to wear the same outfits. Sounds like a cute little couple to me!" He is fuming!

  "Will, you know why I had to go with him to the armories. Why we couldn't risk anyone else going. We've never had private conversations. You were more than welcome to join us, but when you come in looking like your going to kill us, it kinda ruins the conversation aspect of it. 'm sorry if you think we touch each other more than we should. But it's all innocent. And so are the clothes." It is innocent! Right? Shut up! Of course, it is! "Maybe he just didn't have any black ones in your size."

  Will stops pacing abruptly and turns to me. "So, are you telling me there is nothing going on between you two?"

  "Of course there isn't. I love you, Will." And I do. No question there. He comes over and sits back on his cot, facing me.

  "If that's true, then prove it." What the hell?

  "Ok. How do I do that?"

  "No more missions with just the two of you. No more private, intimate conversations. No more touching unless it's life or death. Think you can handle that?" His face shows every bit of the pain he is feeling and that makes me feel like total shit. I realize now just how much time I have spent with Jake than I have with my own husband. Well, that ends now.

  I reach for him and he slowly comes closer to me. When he's finally close enough, I wrap my arms around his neck and look hard into his eyes.

  "Will, I not only can do that, I want to do that. I'm sorry I’ve hurt you." He finally relaxes and kisses me.

  He smiles at me and cups my cheek. "Keep your shit together and we'll be alright." I grin and playfully smack at him. He grabs my hand and kisses my fingers before going to change into his fatigues. Awww! I'd forgotten how sweet he is. That thought really brought me down. I never should have had to remember it! I should always know that. What the hell is wrong with me! Just after that thought, a man's face flashes in my mind.

  Chapter 25

  Will returns from the bathroom and catches me trying to quickly wipe away the tears and hurries to my side. Kneeling beside me, he grabs my hand and asks if I'm in a lot of pain. I nod. I am, but not so much the physical kind now.

  He gives me another pain pill and I take it. I reach for his neck and pull him to me, kissing him, reassuring him and myself that I only want him. He holds me as tight as he can without hurting me and deepens the kiss. Everything else fades away but this moment, this kiss, and this man.

  We hear a female throat clear so we slowly pull apart. Will turns and I raise my head toward the door and see Mom.....and Jake. Jake's face is flushed and I feel Will tense back up. I put my hand on his arm and give it a tug towards me. He scoots closer and rests his hand on my stomach.

  Moving inside the room and standing close to the end of my cot, Mom says, "We have to go get Grandma, now. You and Will should stay here."

  Jake steps inside and starts in, "But.."

  I interrupt him with, "We are not staying here! What if something happens and you can't get back here? No. We are going."

  Will looks from me to Mom and says, "I have to agree with Canada, Mom. Anything can happen. I can make the backseat as comfortable as possible for her, and I will keep her safe, but we can't stay here.

  Mom turns back to Jake, "What were you going to say, Jake?"

  Jake looks at her and grins, "Just that they can't stay here."

  Mom, "Oh." And with that, she turns and walks back out the door.

  Jake looks at me, grinning. I look at Will. Will watches both of us.

  Deciding the best thing for me to do to keep out of trouble is to keep busy, I struggle to sit up. Will is too busy giving Jake dirty looks to notice, and Jake is too busy noticing me struggle to notice Will's struggle to keep control. Jake steps closer and holds out his hand to help me get up, and I freeze. I really do need help but if I take Jake's hand, who knows what Will will do! I look at Will who has flared up in anger and I call his name. He reluctantly looks away from Jake and notices me. Finally! Seeing me stuck with my forearms holding my upper body in a reclining position, apparently brings Will back to his senses. He bolts into a stand and snarls at Jake that he's got it, and then helps me sit up.

  Will drags the black bag closer and I see Jake, out of the corner of my eye, let loose a big shit-eating grin. And I realize Will was right. Jake feels the same way about Will wearing the black, just as we both did about Sara wearing them. Shit!

  Before he can open the bag, I stop him. "Honey, I think id rather stay in my nightclothes. I'll just put on socks and my boots." Will nods and digs out a pair of socks, pulls them on my feet, grabs my boots, and gets those on me, too. Finished, he looks up and notices Jake is still standing in our room.

  Turning to him, Will asks, "Do you need something?"

  Jake, "Just waiting so I can help you get her downstairs."

  "I don't need your fu..." He looks at me. Then drops his head back and sighs. Bringing his face back down, he looks at Jake, "Fine. But unless we need you to, Ill take care of her. Got it?" Geez, Honey. Calm down!

  Jake grins, "Got it." He's not taking Will seriously and that pisses me off. Will hasn’t done anything wrong. But apparently, we did. For sure Jake did when he kissed me.

  I look around the room, looking at everything we need to pack up, since Jake said we were not coming back here, after all. My eyes slide past the windows and then jerk back. I hear Will's voice from earlier when he simply said, "Window".

  I wonder... Wanting to find out if my suspicion could be true, I ask Will to help me to the window. Holding my right arm, he walks me to the window. He steps back as I lift my hands to the windowsill. I look at him first. Arms crisscrossed over his chest and leaning against the wall next to the window, wearing a hard, cold smirk. That look tells me exactly what I wanted to know. I don't even need to look, but I look anyway. And my blood turns to ice.

  The window gives a very clear view of the Armory. Of the backdoor of the Armory. Of anything parked outside the backdoor of the Armory. Of anything in the front seat of something parked outside the backdoor of the Armory. Oh, god! My head whips back to Will. I know my mouth is gaping open. I know my eyes are wide in shock and fear. But I don't know what to say! And he just stands there, arms crossed, with that knowing look etched with the anger I couldn't understand before. But now? Now, I understand. I understand very well.

  Chapter 26

  I swing my head to Jake but he's halfway out the door, talking to someone in the hall. I look back at Will and he nods. Once. I open my mouth to explain but he stops me.

  "Don't. I don't want to hear anything about it." He uncrosses his arms and stands up straight. "Let's go." He takes my arm, turns me around, and walks me back to the cot to get o
ur things. I can't feel any pain now. I'm too numb. Too much in shock. He thinks I was kissing him! He couldn't have known the things I had said to Jake, how angry I was. I just stand there as the room erupts with people and motions.

  Will steps in front of me and his mouth is moving, but I can't hear what he's saying. All I can hear is a whooshing sound in my ears. I feel and see the room swaying. Then I see someone push Will out of the way and arms reaching for me.

  And now I'm looking up into Jake's face and I'm half laying-half reclining in his arms. WAIT! WHAT? I jerk away from him and frantically look for Will. There he is. Crouched down with his back against the wall. Staring at us. But not angry this time. More like upset, sad. I reach my hand out to him. He sees me, but doesn't move.

  Jake puts his arm under mine and helps me stand. Then he walks me over to Will, where he helps me sit down next to my husband. I look up at him and whisper thanks. He nods and leaves the room. Leaning forward, I rest my hands on Will's forearm.

  "Will? Baby, what's wrong?"

  He whispers something but I can't hear him. He looks like he's in total anguish and it's killing me. I tell him I couldn't hear him and ask if he would tell me again.

  "I'm sorry. You were staring at Jake even when I was talking to you. So I stood in front of you and said some horrible things. I had no idea you were about to pass out. Jake pushed me out of the way and grabbed you. I thought he was about to fight me so I swung at him. I didn't mean to. I didn't know. I swear. After, he asked me what the hell I thought I was doing and I told him how pissed off I was that you were staring at him. Then he told me you probably didn't even know what you were looking at." He looks so miserable and a tear even rolls down his cheek. I’ve probably only seen the man cry twice, and both times was when someone he loved passed away.

  I squeeze his arm, "Honey, it's ok. It's just words said while you were upset and, honestly, I didn’t hear a word of it. I could see your mouth move but that's it. I never saw Jake. I noticed people and lots of movement, but no faces except yours and that was only when you were right up in front of me. So, since I don't even know what you said, don't tell me. As far as I'm concerned, it never happened."

  He looks at me, "but can you forgive me for the other?"

  I'm confused. "What? That you swung at Jake? That's between you two."

  He gives me an odd look, "No! For punching you in the face!"

  Huh? "You did WHAT?" I look at him in shock. This man would never hit a woman, had never hit me, even though I would have hit me if I had been him, at times.

  I lean away from him, and bust out in hard belly-aching laughter! He jumps in surprise. Then he looks at me like he has no idea who the hell I am.

  "Hm, maybe I hit you harder than I thought," The look on his face as he said that made me laugh even harder. I was in so much pain now! But I can't stop. My husband frikken punched me! I can just hear the stories I will tell now. My husband got mad at me and hit me so hard it knocked me out. When I came to, he got away with it because I never remembered it happened! I tell him what I had just come up with and he didn't seem to find it very funny. And maybe it isn't, but after all I've gone through, not to mention all those lovely pain pills I've been poppin', it's damn sure funny to me. And that's all that matters. So, THERE!

  I pull him close to me and hug him. I lean in to kiss him and as our lips touch, I jerk back and shriek in pain! Hell! That freaking HURT!

  Will gives me a cheesy grin and says, "Did I mention I punched you in the mouth? Not so funny now, is it?" No. No it isn't. OW!

  But, being the tough badass that I am, I must suck it up and continue on. Wait a sec while I wipe these tears of pain away. Will stands and helps me up. I notice there is nothing left in our room. Must have been all the people and motion I saw just before my husband had a good time knocking me out. Kidding. Kidding.

  We meet Jake in the hall and he walks behind us, ready to help if needed. I make it down about four stairs before I start getting a little dizzy. 'A little' translated, means WHOA, NELLY! Jake swoops me up and Will follows us down. Jake sets me down on the floor and he and Will hold on to me until I get off my personal roller coaster. I see everyone else either busy loading vehicles or, in the kids case, playing. I smile seeing little Kaleb running after Ash. He's squealing with happiness. Grace is in her carrier wide-eyed and checking everything out. Bo's helping his grandparents load their van. I can't believe how grown up he's getting! Stop! What the hell is that???

  I shriek at Will that very question, pointing at our oldest child, who's wearing a set of fatigues, with a damn gun in the holster.

  Will puts his arm around me and says, "Calm down, Mom. Wouldn't you rather he have something to protect himself?"

  "What if he shoots himself? Or one of us? Didja think about that?" I'm still shrieking. All you protective moms out there, like me, would be freaking, too, if your child, your BABY, who never fired a gun in his life before the last 24 hours, was now the proud new owner of a deadly weapon. Save the 'but I would if zombies takeover' shit or any other excuses. You would still freak and you know it.

  Will looks to Jake for help and I swing on him, (well ok, so I didn't do it as gracefully as that. More like inched around to him. But it was still loaded with attitude!) and ask him what the hell he has to do with it.

  Jake clears his throat and gives me a cheeky grin, "Well, I taught him how to hold it, fire it, load it, clean it, even. I also taught him safety. Plus, the gun I gave him does have a safety on it. He's a good shot, too. He'll be ok, Mom." Bite me, Jake!

  I give him a "humph"! And storm off. Don't you like how I can say I did this or did that and you'd never know unless I told ya? Ha Ha, yeah right. No storming off anywhere for this broken down badass. But I promise you, I WILL storm off again, one day soon. And with the baddest attitude you've ever seen! So instead, I just raised my arms for their sorry excuse for assistance, (still mad, can ya tell?), and they help me to my Hummer. As I'm sitting sideways on the edge of the middle row of seats, I see Greg sitting in Jake's truck. He smiles and waves at me and I return them both. He looks better since he's had some rest. Happy to see that. What I didn't see was Sam standing on the other side of the truck, until he hopped up on the sidestep to see who Greg was waving at. He gives me a wave, too, which I return. Then I see a head pop up in front of Greg's from the back seat, and Sara gives me a bitchy smile. I just roll my eyes and think of many ways to hurt her. Wonder why she isn't still tied up? Probably since she's in a vehicle full of men, they think they can handle her if she turns. Men can be such idiots, sometimes!

  Come on, people! We've been here hours later than we had planned and I want my ma! Oops. I guess if it weren't for me, we'd have been there and gone by now. My bad. Will takes baby Grace to Mom and Dad's vehicle and that kind of sucks. But I definitely can't take care of her right now. Ash is sitting up front with Will and darn proud to be there, too. He leans over the front seat and gives me a gentle hug and kiss on the cheek.

  "You feeling better, Mommy?" Yes, my baby still calls me Mommy. I love it!

  "I'm getting there, Baby. How are you doing?" I ask him.

  "Awesome!" He is always awesome. No matter what. You ask him how he is, how his day is, how anything is, and it's always awesome. "Mommy! Did you see when Dad punched you and knocked you out?"

  I burst out laughing and I hear Will groan in the front seat.

  "Uh, nope. Kinda missed it." I tell him.

  "It was AWESOME!" I roll my eyes and laugh. "I think he meant to hit Jake but you got your face in the way. Your face goes (he makes hilarious, yet hideous, faces) and then you went down like, BOOM! (Hand slams down on the front seat) but Jake catches you before you splat on the ground. And then Dad yelled and ran to you and cried..."

  "That's enough, Son. Get your belt on so we can go." Will rushes to interrupt him. I grin and he catches me in the rearview mirror.

  "Uh, Honey?" I get his attention.

  He meets my eyes in the mirror again and says,
"Yeah, Babe?'

  "I can't reach the door."

  "Oh, shit! Sorry." He gets out of the front and comes to my door. He helps me get laid down and comfortable, then shuts my door. After a few more minutes, I finally feel the Hummer start to move. Will had given me a couple more pain and anti-inflammatory pills right before we started, so I shouldn't feel too much pain from the vehicle bouncing around. That is a hope and prayer of mine.

  Chapter 27

  I guess I ended up passing out not too long after we left, because I don't remember anything between the garage and Darling, where my ma lives. What finally wakes me is a loud banging, that turns into several loud bangs. I open my eyes, ready to yell at whoever is making so much noise, and see human hands beating on the windows. I struggle to sit up, finally make it, and look around in astonishment. We have at least two dozen zombies on our vehicle, alone. I am able to see my parent's truck and it looks just as bad. I only have to assume the other vehicle is the same.

  "What the hell? Will, what's going on?"

  "There are a lot of zombies surrounding all of our trucks and they are trying to bust out the windows." Really? I never would have guessed.

  "Ok. I got the obvious, now fill me in." I tell him.

  "Oh, right. Sorry. Well, we made it to Darling and we cruised down Main Street, which wasn't too bad. We saw a few zombies but not very many. No survivors. Then Dad turns onto the street Grandma lives on, we stop to go get her, and then this happens. So, you are now filled in."

  "Mommy?" Ash's head pops up behind the seat and he looks terrified. Once again, the zombies are about to find out why you don't piss off Mommy!

  "Ash, climb back here and get on the floor like you did before, ok? Will, hand me my handguns. And don't argue with me. Either help me, or get the hell out of my way. Ok? Oh. And I love you." Will hands me my guns, very reluctantly, I might add. And a little (lot) pissed off.

  Using the anger, adrenaline, and a lot of help from the pain pills, I stand on my seat and open the hatch. Somehow, I climb through the top and onto the roof. I look around at the other vehicles and I see Dad's head pop through the top of their truck. I look at Jake's and see that he is already on top and just about to shoot. I also see a head with long black hair rising from the hatch in his truck and think what great zombie bait she would make.