Lifting my arm, I throw punch after punch into his ugly face. Blood drips from his nose.
"Owww, stop hitng me!" The freshie yells.
I'm taken aback once more by their humanity. "No, you'll eat me if I stop!" I scream at him, I raise my hand to hit him in the neck, but when I look up, I see a set of masculine hands grab the freshie and lift him off me.
"What r yu doin, there's fresh meat for all,” the freshie pleads. I hear a loud punch and then the freshie goes flying over my head.
"Are you okay, Mak?" I hear the voice I dream about, ask from above me.
Standing quickly, I face the one man that can still make my heart flutter. The one man that can bring tears to my eyes with a single touch. The man I will forever carry in my heart. Logan.
The big freshie marches out of the crashed house straight toward us. "My humans. Leave now, hybrid,” he growls.
Logan steps closer, his eyes flash copper. He lifts a finger, and points to both Clara and me. "These are mine. Now back the fuck off."
Stomping a foot on the ground, the zombie roars loudly then turns leaving both Clara and me with Logan, but the two other freshies drag a screaming, flailing David behind them.
"Logan, stop them. He’s with us,” I cry.
With a quick look at my face, Logan chases after the retreating freshies. I'm too far away to hear the argument happening between Logan and the large freshies, but I strain to hear their conversation. I still can’t believe freshies can talk or even have enough sense to carry on a conversation. I know the ability must go away when they start turning into the second stage zombies, with the brain turning into mush. I’m so deep in thought that I don’t realize Clara went to retrieve the truck or that Logan returned with an unharmed David.
"Know you will not be so lucky if you run up against Nico and his cohorts next time,” Logan says. “They gave me fair warning that if you're caught in their territory again, you will not get a second chance and there's nothing I or anyone can do to save any of you." He runs a hand through his overgrown beard.
"Fuck, the people at the house,” I say. “They can't be left here with zombies milling around and especially not with smart ones. Thanks Logan for your help. We need to get back to the others." I reach for the truck door.
"What others? Are Blu, Gage, Tessa, Lainey and Ricky with you?" Logan asks as he looks over the surroundings.
"Gage and a bunch of survivors we rescued are back at a safe house we found. Lainey, Blu, Tessa and Ricky are back at the safe house. We left them to search for other survivors and for you,” I explain as I feel the heat of a blush as it stills over my face.
"We need to go check on the other survivors,” Clara says, interrupting Logan and me. “You’re more than welcome to tag along." Clara puts the truck in gear.
Logan jumps in the rear of the truck. David needs help getting into the back-seat since he is in complete shock. I guess he thought he was zombie food.
"Wow. Imagine Logan showing up just when we needed him to,” Clara says.
"We didn't need him,” I say, crossing my arms. “I had my freshie where I wanted him."
"Sure you did. Keep lying to yourself."
Chapter Seven
We turn into the driveway of the old Victorian house, I see the brothers peeking from the upstairs windows while Gage stands watch, looking out the downstairs window. What the hell am I going to tell these people. They definitely can’t stick around here now. I'm not sure what's happening to freshies, but it's not good. Being a smart and vicious hunter are never a good combination especially when the hunters are hunting humans as their food source.
I jump down from the truck, and rush across the yard. Gage, Cole, and Levi meet me in the middle of the front yard. "Pack everything up. We can’t stay in this area. There are intelligent freshies here and they won't let us go again since letting us leave the town unharmed."
Not one person moves as they stare dumbfounded at me.
When Logan steps down from the truck, all eyes switch to him. "She's not lying,” he says in an angry voice. “If I were you, I'd get my shit together and go." His eyes flash copper, but return to normal quickly enough that I hope no one notices.
Rushing inside, Gage, Clara and I gather up as many supplies as we can. The brothers run by us carrying canned goods and blankets. On our last trip outside, we are surrounded by dusk and twenty freshies coming up the path. Some so new they appear human, others on the verge of changing into mindless eating machines.
Logan stands in the middle of the driveway. Terror for him runs through my body and I want to run over and protect him with all the weapons I have in my arsenal.
"Get in the fucking truck and get out of here, now!" He shouts over his shoulder.
My feet are rooted to the spot. I can’t leave him to face the freshie horde. "They'll rip you to shreds. I can't leave you!" I yell back to him.
"Makayla, get out of here now,” he demands.
Tears build in the corners of my eyes. I can’t leave him here to die. I turn back to see everyone loaded inside the truck. Clara is behind the wheel, and Gage is by her side. “Leave Clara, go now.”
She shakes her head no. Her usual stubborn look in place
Gage jumps out of the truck and screams at the top of his lungs for me to get my ass in the truck. I see and hear them, but my fear for Logan makes me feel like I’m in a fog. I can’t move, I can only feel the dread building in my heart.
I feel myself forcefully lifted from the ground, the air swooshing past my face as I'm hustled back to the truck.
"Get out of here, Clara. And no matter what, don't let her come back,” Logan says softly as he runs a thumb over my tear-stained cheek.
I watch him as he walks back to the middle of the path, and unloads his gun on the freshies charging toward him. Some fall as we drive by others rush Logan, but most turn to face the truck, an evil glint in their eyes as their meal flies by.
"Clara, turn around,” I beg. “We can't leave him there. He can't handle all of those freshies alone. Please, please, Clara, turn around. Clara, dammit, turn this truck around now.” I scream at her.
Unlocking the door by my side, I open it as softly as I possibly can. Once it's open enough, I jump out. I'll deal with the bumps and bruises later, but Logan needs me now. I roll as I fall, and hit the ground hard enough to rob me of my breath. When I finally can I raise myself up to my feet, I rush back to Logan’s side. The freshies have him on the ground. I lift my dad's Glock, I shoot meticulously into the crowd of zombies, making sure not to hit Logan. With a loud roar, Logan pushes freshies out of the way jumping to his feet. My gun never stops firing. A pile of dead freshies lay at Logan's feet. He strides towards me, and lifts me off the ground as my eyes level with his. His breaths come in and out rapidly, his nostrils flare. He doesn’t say a word. I know he is beyond pissed that I came back to help him.
His lips crash down on mine, my hands go into his hair, my hips grind at his pelvis. This is the man I love and no matter what he is now, I'll always love him. He slides me slowly down his body, I can feel each and every inch of him, the hard ridges and the softer planes. God, I want him in a way I've never wanted anyone before and the way I'll never want anyone after. Releasing my lips, his eyes open slowly, the bright shining copper shines down at me, but I don't care. All I care about is the man standing in front of me.
"Why, Makayla?" he asks, his voice rough and gravelly.
"I couldn't leave you. I couldn't let you face them all. I'd die inside if something happened to you. I'd…I'd die,” I whisper, my eyes never leaving his.
His thumb traces my bottom lip before both hands come to rest on my shoulders. "I would die if something happened to you, Makayla. I'd let the monster in and that wouldn't be good for anyone. But you have to let me go. I can never be what you need, not anymore,” he whispers, his hands framing my face.
"I'll love you forever, Logan I'm not sure I can let you go." Tears drop from my cheeks into his hands.
<
br /> Leaning down, his lips cover mine one final time before he turns and walks away.
The roar of the truck behind me wakes me from the dismal state I find myself in. I feel the finality of Logan and me deep in my bones, I know he is gone from my life forever. I let one last tear fall from my eyes, then turn back to the truck.
"Are you okay?" Clara asks as soon as I sit down.
"No, but I will be one day." Gage softly rubs circles on my shoulder and a smile comes over my face. "I will be,” I murmur, staring out the window.
Chapter Eight
The miles fly by under the tires of the old truck. Having more survivors with us, helps with the day-to-day necessities. Cole and Levi help gather food and gas. We keep our eyes open for another usable vehicle, but so far nothing.
Driving through a small town, the only stores are a drugstore and an a grocery store. The doors hang on the grocery store, but the drugstore is boarded over.
I see a flash of movement. "Pull over, Clara." I say with my hand on the hilt of my katana.
"Sure, but what's up?" She moves the truck to the side of the road.
"I saw movement in the drugstore." I point to the dilapidated grocery store.
As Clara rolls to a stop, I step down from the truck, I catch Levi and Cole rising from the back of the truck. I know one will go with me while the other guards the remaining survivors.
"What's going on, Mak?" Cole asks.
"This place raises my curiosity. I have to check it out." I move forward.
"You know what they say, right?"
"No, what?"
“Curiosity killed the cat." He smiles.
"Ha ha, you're so funny.” I smirk.
The building looms in the distance. All at once, my humor disappears and is replaced with a sense of foreboding. The two-story drugstore sits off to the side of two main roads. The roads are cracked and littered with broken chunks of pavement and the dried bones of some sort of animal. Cole walks close beside me, shifting his head from side to side. We walk closer to the building.
The door opens and slams against the boarded up windows as an old lady steps out with a gun gripped tightly in her hands. "What the hell do you want?"
"We're not here to harm anyone. I saw movement and didn't want anyone falling into a freshie trap.” I drop my hand holding the katana.
"How many's with you?" She gestures behind us.
"There's twenty-one of us."
"You're not welcome here. You’d clean out our supplies. Now git before I use this on you."
"Ma, come on back in here. Sorry about that, she thinks she's protecting the family,” a tall muscular man says as he wipes his hands on a pair of worn out jeans. My eyes travel up his body slowly, his arms bulge under the white t-shirt he wears. I’m momentarily attracted to him, but I quickly squish the feeling as thoughts of Logan rush into my head. Still, those dark curls and sapphire eyes definitely draw me in.
"It's okay.” It’s unusual to come across actual survivors with the freshies talking, no one can be trusted." I glance up into those beautiful sapphire eyes.
"Exactly." He thrusts out his hand. "I'm Colton, but my friends and family call me Colt."
"Makayla, or just Mak to my friends,” I say after the brief handshake.
"Please come in. We don't have much, but we're willing to share what we have." Colton opens the door. I know we don't have time for a visit with strangers, but I feel compelled to learn more about these survivors.
Walking inside the dim interior of the drugstore, I glance around, interested in how they live. Several older ladies and gentlemen sit on an old floral sofa. The interior of the drug store had been converted into more of a large waiting room. Sofa’s of all kinds line the walls. Some sagging so badly that those sitting on them, lean on each other. Several hospital beds with patients, ran along one wall.
“Howdy,” an older gentleman offers.
"Hi,” I respond.
I hear a low growl from the corner and when I look I see medium sized white dog. It’s fur slightly matted, it’s fangs bared to me. I honestly thought Survivor was the only animal left on the planet, but now my thinking seems lame. If he could survive there had to be others. Turning, I scan the smal area, there are so many elderly. Concern for them all roars to life.
"The local nursing home was being overrun with zombies.” Colton says, running a hand through his hair. “The older patients an easy target, so we brought all we could here. Ma of course insisted, she was one of the patients and I was a nurse there."
"I can't imagine the hardships y'all have been going through,” I say. “Are you the only one here looking after them?"
"Nope,” a woman latches onto Colton arm. “He has me and a couple more helping as well. I'm Dora." She looks to be in her mid thirties, and by the way she grips his arm I’m positive she thinks she has some claim over him. I take a step back.
Colton shakes her arm off his and steps forward. “Let’s get you some water."
"We really don't have time,” I say, “There’s a truck full of survivors out by the grocery store."
Gunfire erupts from the direction of the truck. We rush out the door, Cole and I run into the madness. Freshies surround the truck. Fighting and gunfire explode around us. Gage, Clara and the remaining children are inside the truck. Levi aims and shoots at anything that moves closer. Raising my gun, I fire hitting the freshie leader in the chest. He grins wickedly. He walks up to one of the survivors I’d yet to introduce myself to, lifts her from the truck, and tears into her neck. Blood streams from his mouth and down his blood-encrusted shirt. I pull my dad’s Glock from the holster on my hip, aim and blow a hole the size of a golf ball through his forehead. He falls to the side, his freshie cohorts are on him in a second gorging themselves on his flesh. Glock in hand, I walk through the chaos, firing as I move through the mass of freshies, some go down around me. Their compatriots eat their fill of the fresh meat of their once upon a time pals.
One large freshie stands off to the side watching the action in fascination. The evil grin on his face truly terrifying. I know he’ll be the one to take over for the fallen freshie leader that I shot. He moves toward me. I lift my gun, aim it at his eyes, and pull the trigger. It clicks, empty. I drop it and slide my katana out of its sheath. The sunlight catches the sharp deadly blade making it shimmer like diamonds.
"You think to take me down human.” He laughs. “I will have you for dinner." The sadictic tone of his laugh doesn’t scare me.
I twirl my katana over my head and make my way steadily to the large freshie. His fist strikes out connecting with my cheek, almost knocking me over. I swing my katana out, slicing through the freshie’s middle, spilling his intestines. The freshie lifts the long string of intestines into the air, and takes a bite of his own organ, a look of sheer pleasure covers his face.
I slice out once more and cut off his hand. Before I can recover my stance, he grabs me and swings me by my hair into the fray of fighting bodies. I land in a pile of writhing flesh-eating zombies, some dead others very much alive and feasting on the dead freshies. Looking up, I notice the large freshie standing over me with his arm missing and spurting blood.
I push my way to the top of the pile of bodies, and face off against the beast standing over me. He snaps his teeth in my face and lunges at me. He grabs my ponytail and swings me around. I brace myself before I fall against the side of the truck. The crack of ribs takes my breath and keeps me on my knees as the beast hovers over me. I swing upward with my katana, cutting the zombie in half as it travels up his body. The giant freshie falls forward and lands on my legs pinning me to the ground. I scan the area, and see bodies of both human and freshies alike scattered about. The bitten humans will soon have to be dealt with or they'll turn into freshies themselves. A sharp pain at my wrist, quickly gets my attention. The dimming light casts shadows over the freshie. She started eating me without me even realizing it. My flesh hangs from her teeth as she enjoys each bite with gusto. A gun
shot ends the chewing next to me as Clara rushes forward.
"Oh my God, Mak. You’ve been bitten." She drops by my side. Tears pool in her eyes.
I want to say, well duh, I'm the one being snacked on, but I don’t because of her sadness.
Chapter Nine
I watch silently as Cole, Levi, and Gage walk over to me I know I don't need to remind them of what they need to do. I see the look in each of their eyes.
Gage drops to my side as tears cover his young face. "This can't be happening, Mak. Please tell me this is all a bad dream, please.”
Cole and Levi lift the big freshie off my legs. Standing with the aid of both the brothers, I scan the area, seeing the destruction left in the freshie’s attack.
Reaching out, I pull both Gage and Clara into me, who are both now sobbing. "I wasn't paying attention to my surroundings,” I say holding them close. “This is my fault. Please don't cry." I kiss each of them on the forehead. I hand my dad’s Glock to Clara and his sawed-off shotgun to Gage. "Keep looking for survivors. Don’t let this stop you." I turn to walk away. "Cole, Levi, it was nice getting to know you two. I got someone else I could depend on when we found you. Watch over the remaining survivors and whatever you do, don't let Clara come back for me,” I whisper.
I walk over to the truck, look inside, grab the bandages and wrap my arm. I look back at two of the people I love most in this world, and take off jogging into the woods.
Night has fallen and the moans of zombies fill the air like the crickets used to on hot summer nights. Soon, I will be joining their kind. I climb a nearby tree and wait out the night. As the sun rises in the sky the next morning, I am still very much human. My wrist burns like fire and it shows signs of an infection, it’s red and inflamed, but there’s no fever. I’m still among the living. How the hell is this possible? How am I still me? So many questions fly through my mind and three very important ones keep repeating. Can it be possible that I’m immune? Am I the cure? Is it possible?
Surviving Earth: Makayla's Journey Continued Page 4