I stomp out of the kitchen. "Let's go, people. You either load up now or we're leaving you behind."
"Makayla, quit being belligerent,” Logan says, pulling me back into the kitchen. “I'm sorry and I want to thank you for rescuing me from the trunk."
"Take your hands off me or I'll slice them from your body,” I demand, glancing at his hands on my shoulders.
He backs away slowly.
I tap my foot on the floor because I am so furious at him and I shake my head side to side. "You know you've been nothing but unkind to me since I saw you walking on the road. I love you, but I'm seriously fighting anything I feel for you. I'm out of here." I turn to leave. My heart breaks and I can’t make myself stop saying the words.
"Makayla. Please. Wait,” he pleads, pronouncing each word urgently.
I turn back, I look at the man I love, the man my heart will always belong to. I’m not sure why I’m so mad at him, but I am and I can’t go there with him if he continues. He takes a step toward me, but I hold up my hand. "I can't anymore, Logan. What I had to tell you was more important than you treating me like a child. But you know what? I am going to tell you anyway because it can very well save your life. I'm immune. I was bitten a few days ago and survived intact with all of my faculties." I pat him lightly on his chest, turn, and walk away.
I race out to the truck, Clara fires it up as I jump in the back with Cole and Levi. Logan watches from the shadows of the old Victorian. I can feel his eyes boring into my back.
Cole taps me on the back. “Are you okay, Mak?"
"Yeah, I'm just wonderful."
I know Clara will want to drill me for details, but I’m not ready yet, so I sit between the brothers and lose myself to my own thoughts. The brothers are good about knowing when I need peace and quiet.
Night has fallen and it’s a bit too chilly to be riding in the back of the truck. Cole is sound asleep beside me. Levi is gone. What the hell, where is he? I look into the cab of the truck, and see he is now driving as Clara and Gage are passed out.
The night is peaceful and quiet all around, but my mind fills with thoughts of Logan. Maybe it is time for me to move on and forget the tentative romance we started that seems so long ago now. The chilly night air has me leaning into Cole's side.
I knock lightly on the window, and urge Levi to pull over. As soon as he pulls to the side of the road, everyone awakens.
"What's going on?" Everyone asks in a murmured chorus.
"I'm frozen and I'm sure all of you are as well." I reach to pull the blankets from the backseat. I hand out blankets to each person, we once again take off, but now Cole is driving and Levi sits in back.
"We'll need gas soon." Levi yawns.
The night bears onward and as we reach a small town, Cole and I keep our eyes open for a fuel source. This town is war ravaged. The buildings fell down on top of each other.
"This place is creepy,” Cole whispers.
"I agree, let's blow through this town." I cast my eyes from place to place.
"Mak, I'm not sure how much longer we can ignore the need for gas,” Cole says urgently, glancing my way.
“All right, then I guess we look for a gas station or some kind of vehicle that has survived intact." I lean toward my window as I scan the area. Within an hour, the truck bumps and thuds to a stop. "That's it, we're out." Cole slams his hands on the stirring wheel.
After not finding anything of use in the creeptacular town, we leave it behind. I rouse Clara and Gage from their slumber and jump down from the passenger seat.
"What's going on?" Clara asks, wiping sleep from her eyes.
"Time to spread out and look for gas. We’re out." I acknowledge then turn to wake everyone in the back.
This situation isn't ideal. Eighteen people walking through the night in search of fuel.
"Okay, let's split up,” I say. “Cole, Levi, y'all take half and head to the right. Clara, Gage, and I will take the other half and head to the left. We'll meet back here, come hell or high water, in three hours. Shoot once in the air if you find a fuel source." I move out with Clara and Gage on my heel.
The chilly, damp night air wraps around us. An hour into our trek, we finally find a small town, with dust-covered cars and trucks. At least two inches of dust covers every surface in sight
"Clara, Gage, guard me as I check the vehicles at that house." I point to the closest brick house.
"Okay." Gage shrugs.
The cars lead to a small amount of gas. A gallon, two at the most. I move to the next house and bend over ready to syphon the gas out of a truck sitting on rotten tires. I draw my Glock as I hear a startled gasp from under the truck.
"Wait, I'm not going to hurt you,” a girl cries as she crawls out from under the truck. “I'm hiding from the horde that patrols this area."
"How many are in the horde?" I ask, reaching down to help her out.
"At least twenty. All are the freshly made zombies.
Pulling her out, I tell everyone what she told me.
One of the ladies that was divided into my group looks around and nervously bites her nails. "Let's go, please. We have enough gas to get us a few miles away."
"You guys need gas?” The girl I’d pulled from under the truck asks. “I know the perfect place, but the smart zombies guard it. It’s an easy way for them to catch us for food."
"Clara and Gage stay here. Can you show me?" I ask.
"Let's all go,” Gage says. “We’ll be safer together." He aims his pistol out toward the darkness.
"No!” I do not want to put any of you in harm’s way."
Clara walks closer to me. "But you're so willing to put yourself in danger every time. Let us help for once."
I lead the group in a single file line down the road. Gage and Clara are at the rear of the line, which I am not too happy about, but they insisted. Scanning the area for movement, I wave everyone forward.
"Should we be doing this?" Deane, one of the prison survivors asks.
A few in the group shushed everyone.
"Deane, do you want to get us all killed?” I ask.
I nudge Deane in the side. "Shhh. Someone's coming."
I hear whispers down the line.
Chapter Thirteen
The shuffling sounds of shoes reach my ears, then I hear soft talking.
"Cole, I swear we came the wrong way."
I lean away from the building, and rush up to Levi I cover his mouth with my hand before he can scream.
"Shhhh, this is a huge trap laid by the smart freshies,” I whisper in his ear.
"Shit, Mak, you took twenty years off my life,” he mumbles.
I chuckle. "Keep it up and I'm going to take all of those years."
Cole and Levi's group lean against the building, some whimpering and scared. Casting my eyes down the line, I don't see David. "Where's David?"
Cole shrugs.
Making his way to the end of the line with Gage and Clara, Levi stands facing the pre-dawn sky.
"What are we doing exactly?" Cole asks, looking around.
I begin to speak to the girl as I put a hand on her shoulder, but the sound of feet shuffling interrupts me. Each person in the line stands completely still, the silence of the group is deafening to my ears.
From behind us is a horde of around twenty freshies. One holds a set of reins that rest around a huge zombie's neck and shoulders, its arms and legs bucking against the ropes binding him. His nose rises swiftly in the air.
"Move back." I whisper.
"What do you smell, Teddy?" a young freshie girl asks, stepping forward and patting the huge beast on the arm. He emits a loud growl, raising the hair on my arms.
"Be ready, everyone,” I murmur as they near our hiding place. Some of our group bite their nails and whimper.
Staring across the way, I catch sight of the girl leading the giant zombie, her teeth show through her cheek, half of her face has been eaten off. Her blonde pigtails are covered in blood. She stands around f
ive feet, the uneaten half of her face proves she is still very young, only a teenager at best, but she seems to control this large horde of freshies.
"What are we going to do, Mak?" someone asks from my side.
"We will fight."
"But, but, there's too many of them,” someone else stutters.
The large freshie lifts his nose higher into the air. The girl at his side watches his every move. They are a bit frightening.
"They have to die or no one in this area will have a chance,” I whisper to myself.
Grabbing the reins once more, the horde with the girl and the huge freshie head out. "Okay, we need to stay closer to the outer edge of town, unless we want to run into that gang again,” the girl from under the truck says backing out the way we came.
"Whoa, wait,” I say. “Umm, no, we will be facing this horde. I will not allow anyone to fall prey to this town.” I turn to watch the tail end of the horde disappear around the side of a building further up.
"You're fucking crazy if you want to face off against them,” the girl cries. “Teddy will rip you to shreds and Paige will munch on your bones."
I turn in her direction, surprised by her outburst, and wait for her explanation.
"They, they were family of a sort until a lone zombie bit Paige, then she spread the disease rapidly,” she stammers. “Teddy kept me hidden for a while, doing his best to keep the horde out, but he failed and now he's one of them. They've searched for me non-stop."
A loud roar spreads through the town.
"What the hell?" Cole asks, walking to the front of the line.
"They found my decoy,” the young girl says. “I'd run away from this place if I was all of you." She moves backwards away from us and the roar that we heard from a few blocks up.
"You could have told us this earlier, maybe saved a few lives,” I say.
I turn away from her, but catch her as she bites her lip and backs underneath the building slowly.
"Cole, Levi, take everyone back to the truck along with the few gallons of gas we have. I want to try sneaking into the gas station alone,” I say.
"No, one of us is going with you this time!" Gage says.
"Fine, but it will not be you or Clara." I murmur, moving away from him.
"Mak, that's not fair!" He stomps reminding me once again he may resemble a man, but he is still a child of fifteen.
"Cole, come with me,” I say.
“Everyone else head back to the truck. If there's trouble, leave immediately." I don't leave any quarter for my statement as Cole and I march forward into the night and away from everyone.
At a building a couple blocks over from where we first started, Cole reaches out a hand stopping my next step, then holds a finger to his lips. That's when I hear the sniffing and the shuffle of many feet.
"What did you find, Teddy?” Paige asks the giant zombie.
His loud roar fills the night air. It sends chills racing down my spine.
I fall back a few steps, and bump into Cole. Fright radiates from his sapphire eyes. I want to reassure him, but I know we are in a perilous situation. Being immune to the zombie virus, I can race out, leading them away from Cole and my family, but I keep thinking will they follow me or will they turn back to find my family and friends. I glance back at Cole, and run a hand smoothly down his cheek before I make a run for it drawing the attention of all the freshies that are trying to catch our scent.
Paige swiftly turns in my direction, her nose flares as she trails my movements.
Please, God, leave Cole and the others alone.
"After her, Teddy,” Paige growls, patting Teddy on the arm. I don’t miss the look she gives the rest as she and Teddy come after me.
"Run, Cole!" I scream as I take off running across the street and through alleyways ahead of Paige and her lead dog. Screams reach my ears as I pass between two small buildings, almost reaching the outskirts of the town. I can only see darkness in my front of my face. Flattening myself against the side of a building, I try to control my breathing and heartbeat. I listen over the roar in my ears, but I hear nothing. My heartbeat is too loud, cutting off all sound. I need to run out and help my family, especially Clara, Gage, Cole, and Levi. The fear for my family clouds my mind and makes me feel helpless.
Gunshots soon reach my hiding place. I lean around the building and I make my way toward the commotion.
Teddy’s arm shoots out, clotheslining me. He stands over me as I kneel on the ground, I struggle for my next breath.
Paige laughs, showing her teeth more clearly through the hole in her cheek. I jerk back up, and slide my katana out of the sheath, the metal shines brightly in the moonlight. I swing forward and connect with the large one’s neck, yanking backwards a chunk falls, but he advances on my crouched position.
The girl slaps the beast on the arm and he moves steadily forward. My katana slices off pieces as he stalks towards me. Nothing fazes him. Both his hands lay unmoving on the ground. The girl becomes irate as I assault her precious Teddy.
My back hits the wall of a building.
"Under here, quick!" the girl I ran into earlier murmurs, she grabs my ankle.
I shake loose from her grip. "I can't. My friends are in trouble and need me."
"Yeah, they need you alive,” she whispers, as she disappears under the building.
Chapter Fourteen
I fall to my knees and try to squirm under the building behind the girl, but someone or something grabs my ankle and pulls me backwards.
"Fuck, I knew this wouldn't be easy!" I dig into the dirt with my fingers, trying to get a good enough hold, but it's not enough. When I emerge from underneath the building, Paige drops me.
"Now, where you think you're going?" she asks with her hands on her hips.
God, it was eerie to have one of these things talk to you, especially one with half their face chewed off.
"Away from you." My smartass reply.
She runs a hand over her bloody pigtails. “I don't think so. You're our din din, ain't that right, Teddy." Saliva drips from the giant freshie’s lips, his tongue snakes out to wipe it away. He lowers his head to my face and lets loose a loud growl. Bile rises quickly up my throat as his rancid breath reaches my nose, the smell makes my eyes burn.
Quick as possible, but without drawing notice to myself, I pull my dad's Glock out. I aim it between Teddy's eyes, and blast him from an inch away. His slack body falls to the ground.
Paige falls beside him, she cries bloody tears. "You killed my Teddy. My Teddy." Anger flares in her eyes as she looks at me. She lifts her head and screams into the night.
"Come on, they'll all be coming now,” the young girl urges, once again she appears at my side.
"No, this ends here!" I cry, my eyes on their leader. I lift the Glock, aim it straight and true at Paige’s head. The gun clicks once, twice. I am out of bullets, but that is okay, I have a backup: my katana. The sound of feet reaches my ears, but I'll die before leaving this freshie alive. I strike out with my katana, it slices through Paige's arm. She hisses then stands to accept my challenge.
Tilting her head from side to side she snarls. "You wish to battle me? Me? The leader of the horde. How you think I got here? I'm no timid mouse."
A fight she wants a fight she’ll get. I twirl my katana from side to side, as I advance on her position by the fallen giant zombie. I cut off one of her blonde pigtails with my first swipe. Laughing, I toss it to her. Next time I swing she is ready for me and grabs the blade, twisting the blade from my hand. She tosses it and me backwards. A smile appears on her grotesque face. I reach for my katana and go back into the fray. I know the rest of the horde can’t be far away and I’d soon find myself surrounded. I reach out with my blade, making a clean cut through half of her neck. Blood falls greedily to the ground at her feet. She growls and shoves me backward against the building. I'm stunned for a moment, the breath stolen from my body. My eyes never leave her as she lifts her claws to dig into my abdomen. Pain ra
diates out from the deep wounds she digs into my stomach. With my last ounce of strength, I lift my katana and finish the job I started by slicing her head completely from her body. She falls at my side, her nails still embedded in my stomach. The pain is so great that blackness beings to creep in from the outer reach of my eyes.
"Shhh, Mak, you're okay. Whatever you did saved us all." Opening my heavy lids, I'm enshrouded in darkness. I can't make out anyone or anything. I see shadows cast against spots of light, "I, I need." I begin, but pass out before I can finish the sentence. My family, my last coherent thought as darkness takes over.
Cole
“Kira, is there a pharmacy in town?" I ask the new survivor.
"There is, but there's still eighteen zombies we have to face to get there,” she says, nervously biting her thumbnail.
"Well, it's either face them, or let Mak die and I'm not going to let that happen,” I say stonily.
"Neither am I,” Clara adds, by Gage's side.
"I'm not either." Gage murmurs.
"You people are crazy. They will catch you and eat you." Kira whimpers.
Cole's hands grip her shoulders. He is beyond pissed and shakes her. "I'll face every damn zombie there is in this whole wide world if it means saving Makayla!"
"Fine, but it's your funeral,” Kira whispers.“Two blocks over, turn to the right, and it will be the second building on the left side of the road."
As I run a hand through my hair, I glance first at Clara, then Gage, then my brother Levi. "I'll go alone. That leaves the rest of you to protect each other and Mak." Swallowing, I walk toward the door. Nerves run high within the room.
"Wait, wait, I'll go,” Kira utters, though I can still hear the anxiety in her voice. “We can get there faster if I lead the way, but I'd like a weapon of some kind."
Gage walks forward, handing her his pistol. "It's loaded. Just press the button to take the safety off, then you just aim and shoot." He returns to Clara’s side.
Surviving Earth: Makayla's Journey Continued Page 6