“Son-of-a...” Max stuttered, studying the horrible scene. “Still wanna march down there on foot, kid?” he asked me.
I shook my head. “On second thought...”
Val held the map tight, peering intensely at it. “It’s the right spot.”
I stared at the undead army of hideous creatures. “It’s a trap!” I said. “Z’s men tried to lead us straight into a dinner party!”
Max cursed, a string of several four-letter words I’d never even heard before.
Val’s face was suddenly white as a ghost’s. “Nick and the others! They’re heading to the other side to lie low and wait for orders from us.”
I swallowed hard. “They’re heading right toward the herd! We’ve gotta stop ‘em!”
Max reached for his walkie-talkie. “Team 7 and 8, pull out now! I repeat, abort now!”
The walkie-talkie crackled, and I could barely hear the garbled voice coming from the other end. A chill shot down my spine. “Try it again! They’re gonna die down there!”
Chapter 28
“You’ve gotta warn them, Max!” Val said.
Max tried again, to no avail.
My heart thundered in my chest, and I was ready to jump in the truck and go get them myself. We didn’t have much time, and I knew every second counted if we wanted to save their lives.
“We could take a shortcut and try to cut them off before they get to the danger point,” Max suggested.
Val shook her head and pointed to the map. “But it’s impenetrable right here. We’ll never get through.”
“I know. That’s why I sent them on foot.”
I studied the map for a moment, and an idea struck me. “We can warn them!” I said.
“How?” Val asked frantically, wide-eyed.
“The helicopter! We can attach a note to it and find them with the video stream.”
“Hmm. It could work,” Max said. “Paper! Pen! I need it now, people!”
I opened the glove compartment and rummaged through, happy to find a Magic Marker.
Another woman found a long, white envelope.
I wrote, “WARNING: Team 8 retreat! Zombie herd approaching. From Dean.” I attached it to the helicopter, and Max sent her back into the air.
As the miniature aircraft disappeared up into the tree line, I inhaled deeply and let it out slowly. My whole group could be annihilated if our plan didn’t work, my brother and my best friends.
Val held my hand, and I looked at her nervously, trying to keep it together. The louder I panted, the tighter she squeezed my hand in reassurance. “Say a prayer,” she whispered.
“I already am.”
I looked down at the screen as Max maneuvered the helicopter around, searching for the two missing teams.
He flew the copter forward, backward, up, down, clockwise, and counterclockwise.
“Where are they?” I asked.
“Just gimme a minute,” Max said. “There are a lot of places to check, and they might be hiding.”
“We don’t have a minute, Max! They’re running out of time, and they may not even now it!”
Val gently led me away. “Let’s give Max some room.”
“I can’t take this, Val,” I whispered. “If we don’t hurry—”
“They’re gonna be okay,” she said.
“I found them!” Max yelled.
I rushed back over and looked down at the iPad. The helicopter was still high in the air, but figures were walking through a clearing. Unfortunately, right over the next hill, there was a multitude of flesh-eaters just waiting for an easy meal. There was no way we would’ve gotten there in time, so I was glad we’d sent the note. I just hoped Nick would see it in time. I assumed he’d recognize the helicopter as Max’s, because we’d both secretly made fun of Val and Max for playing with it that very morning.
When Nick saw the helicopter zoom overhead, he pointed at it; the others gazed up and started waving.
“He recognizes it!” I said.
“Let me pull around and land her,” Max said.
I held my breath as Max fussed with the controller.
As soon as the copter landed, Nick grabbed the note and read it. He mouthed, “Thank you!” and there was relief written all over his face. Max started it up and flew back toward us.
I let out a big sigh of relief; there was no way they could have fought off a herd that large. When my sister hugged me, my hands finally stopped shaking.
“Oh no,” Max said. “We’ve got company.”
When I glanced down at the iPad, I saw some of the group shuffling through the weeds and overgrowth, heading right for us.
“Let’s move it, people!” Max said as he landed the helicopter.
We jumped back in the truck and took off with a jerk. We drove to one of the main streets and waited for Nick. When his group came back unscathed, I had never been more thankful.
Val looked at me. “See? Not everything turns out bad, Dean.”
“It does most of the time,” I retorted.
“You’ve been through some near-misses,” Max said. “I’ll give you that. And, yeah, it’s a fight for survival, but look at all the wonderful things you still have. Your family is alive and breathing. You have food and shelter and a community of people who’ve come to love and appreciate you.”
“Yeah, I know, and I’m thankful for the good things in my life.”
Max’s gaze met Val’s. “Me too,” he said, almost blushing.
She smiled, and I almost gagged. The two of them were like Cream of Wheat: sweet and mushy all at once. I’d never much liked Cream of Wheat.
***
We all met back in Fairport and had a few drinks at Max’s apartment.
“Z’s men are still on the loose,” Max said, “and they tried to lead us into a trap, but we overcame. Two of my teams were walking into danger, but Dean came up with a brilliant idea to warn them. He saved their lives, and I’m forever grateful.”
“Thank you, Max,” I said.
“No, thank you.”
Nick hugged me. “Yeah, I guess I owe ya one, little brother,” he said. “We had no idea those brain-munchers were out there.”
“It was really Max’s helicopter that saved the day,” I replied.
Max planned to start sending teams to the warehouse soon, since we were pretty sure Z was still lurking there, but I didn’t think he’d be leaving Fairport anytime soon, especially when he knew there was a herd south of the city.
When I looked over at Val, I noticed that she was sitting really close to Max, but she would probably just say it was because it was so crowded in his apartment.
Claire suddenly embraced me in a hug. “Thank you, Dean,” she said.
“Huh? Oh, sure, Claire. It’s fine.” My gaze shot back to the couch, but Max and Val were gone, just like that. “Hey, where’d those two take off to?” I asked curiously.
“Outside to get some air, Max said,” Claire answered.
“They’re getting awfully chummy,” I said.
“They’re just friends, Dean.” She laughed. “He’s a little too old for her. He has a teenage daughter, and I’m sure Val doesn’t wanna be Rachel’s stepmom.”
I shook my head. “That’s not even funny.”
“Like I said, there’s nothing to worry about. They’re just friends.”
I didn’t even want to think about it anymore. I just wanted to go home and kick up my feet after the long couple of days I’d had. I shot Claire a look. “Hey, you wanna go back to the apartment?”
“Hmm. Is that kiss we shared getting to you?” she asked with a laugh.
I playfully nudged her. “C’mon, Claire.”
Kate approached and asked, “Kiss? What’s this about you two kissing...and, more importantly, does Nick know?”
Claire grabbed her arm. “It’s not what you think.”
Kate smirked. “That’s what people always say when they’re caught red-handed.”
“It was just part of our under
cover assignment,” Claire said. “We had to pretend like we were lovers to fool Z’s men.”
“That’s old news. Nick told me you two went behind his back to do that, but he didn’t mention lip-locking being a job requirement.”
“We were kind of forced into it,” I said.
“Right,” she said, clearing her throat.
“It’s not exactly something we wanna announce to the world,” Claire said.
“Hmm. Then I suggest you be a little more quiet about it,” Kate said, then sashayed away, giggling.
Since Kate and Claire wanted to stay, I headed back to the apartment on my own.
***
I started pacing around the freezing cold living room.
Sparkles followed me and barked.
“What? I’m warmer when I keep moving,” I explained, then chuckled inwardly at myself for talking to the dog like she could possibly understand.
I put some logs on the fire, and a blaze was going in no time.
It really bothered me that I could’ve lost Nick, Lucas, Claire, Asia, and Kate all at once. The realization weighed heavily on me, and I felt dazed, numb, and empty. The thought of being there without them was one I simply couldn’t bear. They were all my family, and losing Jackie had been bad enough. I couldn’t imagine losing every single person I loved. Many of the other survivors had seen their loved ones destroyed right before their eyes. I knew Max was right: I was very lucky to have my family and friends and a safe place to stay. I appreciated that, and I didn’t take it for granted, not for one second. We all missed Jackie, but each of us felt her loss in a different way, and none of us wanted to end up like her.
I didn’t really fear death though. In my opinion, the unknown wasn’t half as frightening as the cruel reality around us. I stared into the embers and thought about that for a second. The only real thing I feared about death was that it might take my friends or family from me.
Jackie’s words echoed in my head. She’d told me to live each day as if it were my last. I knew that every day I walked outside the city could be my last living day on Earth. I tried to help others and to live without regrets. I tried to make each day special and make it my best, because I knew there was no guarantee of tomorrow. They weren’t the kind of thoughts that should have been drumming through an eighteen-year-old head, but in our screwed-up world, I had to think about them every single day. I was furious that the zombie virus had stolen our world and forced us into survival mode, forced us to deal with things like death and loss. My hands began to tremble again, and I wondered if I was losing it.
The door creaked open, and Asia came in.
Sparkles hurriedly ran over to greet her.
She petted the dog, then shot her gaze at me. “What’s wrong?” she asked, slipping off her coat.
“Nothing.”
“You’re lying, Dean. I can tell.”
“I don’t wanna talk about it.”
Asia stared at me and crossed her arms. “Fine. Then don’t,” she snapped, then marched over and pulled me into a hug. “Just don’t suffocate in the sadness. It’s pretty easy to do if you’re not careful.”
We just held each other for a moment, and no words were needed. I could tell she needed me as much as I needed her. It was an intense moment, and after what we’d been through together, we’d built an emotional connection, a strong friendship, and a tight bond.
Asia held on tighter. She tried to hide her emotions, just as she usually did, but tears flowed from her eyes. She tried to play it tough, to keep up her hard exterior, but she missed her family miserably and was just as distraught as I was. We’d seen horrible things no human should ever have to witness, but we wore our scars like badges of honor and vowed to carry on, no matter how hard it seemed.
“I know this is about us almost walking straight into that herd, but we would’ve run once we realized we were outnumbered.”
“That hill was thick with weeds and tree stumps. You never woulda made it back up in time—at least not all of you.”
“Dean,” she said, “you know as well as I do that this is a high-stakes game.”
“Like poker?”
She nodded. “Sometimes, taking risks is the only way to win at the game of life.”
“Then I plan on winning, because I’m a real sore loser.”
“Then you’d better step up your game and play harder, and I’ll do the same. We’ve had too many close calls. I’ve stared death in the face so many times that I’m not scared of it anymore.”
“Yeah? What’s death look like?”
“Well, he’s tall and dark but not so handsome. He’s sorta bony and wears a long dark hood and doesn’t leave home without his scythe. You’d think he’d know better and carry a Glock or a rifle out in a zombie apocalypse, but I guess he’s kinda old-fashioned.”
I laughed. “Heh. Yeah, I guess the Grim Reaper isn’t so hip, huh? Somebody oughtta tell that guy to change his bathrobe once in a while. I’m sure it reeks.”
We both chuckled.
“It doesn’t matter what religion or race you are, whether you’re rich or poor. Death is our constant companion. It’s all around us. It will come for everyone eventually, and there’s no escape. My plan is to just try to outrun it for as long as I can...and make my mark on the world in the meantime.”
I gave her a fist-bump. “Mine too.”
“Now, enough with this sentimental crap,” Asia said. “Let’s open up a can of beans. I’m starving.”
“Me too.”
Asia found some food for us, and I reached for a can of dog food. As I reached for the can opener, she smiled.
“What?” I asked.
“If you’d prefer Alpo, that’s okay with me. I doubt the beans will taste much better.”
I chuckled. “It’s for the dog. If we don’t feed her, she’ll beg the whole time we’re eating, and the last thing that dog needs is a bunch of beans.”
“I think you really like that yappy little mutt.”
“She’s not yappy. She hardly barks.”
Asia smirked. “See? You’re even sticking up for her.”
“I can’t let the dog starve. Claire would kill me.”
“Just admit it. You like the dog.”
I grinned. “Well...maybe just a little.”
We chuckled again, and the moment suddenly seemed lighter. We talked for hours before the others came back, and it was nice to spend some alone time with Asia when we weren’t freezing to death or fighting for our lives.
***
Time flew, and after a week passed, the herd had moved. We were all thankful for that, and now that the threat was over, Max could start focusing all his time on Z.
Nick and I were walking back from a perimeter check. It wasn’t as cold as some days but I still needed a hat and gloves. It was an overcast day. Snow crunched under my feet as we walked.
“I hope Mom, Dad and Grams are okay,” I said. “I’ve been thinking about them so much.”
“Me too. I’m sure they’re fine. They probably have the island all back to normal by now.”
“Knowing Dad, I totally agree.”
“When we decide to leave, Val might stay here,” Nick said in a grim voice.
My jaw dropped. “Why?”
“You know why. She’s scared the execution squad might come for her again.”
“We can go to another island,” I said.
He kept walking briskly. “She’s afraid they might come after her, and you know they very well might.”
“How can we return without Val? I don’t want to lose her.”
A sad expression crossed his face. “I don’t either. She says she’ll come back when things get normal again.”
“I’ll talk her into coming,” I insisted. “She’s our sister. We can’t just leave her here.”
“And we can’t force her to come either. Plus, she feels safe here.”
“What if that barrier that repels the zombies quits working? Then what? The island is the s
afest place to be.”
“You make a great argument.”
Suddenly, I noticed red dots bouncing around my chest. Was a sniper trying to take me out? My heart pounded. When I glanced up, I saw armed figures on top of the roof pointing sniper rifles at me.
“Duck for cover!” I shouted.
Nick and I scrambled for cover. I crouched behind a blue run down truck and peered up, trying to make out who the figures were. I was sure it was people from Z’s gang.
“Are they Z’s assassins?” I whispered.
“Assassins don’t miss their targets,” he said.
When I peered through my scope, I gasped. It wasn’t Z’s men at all. I was definitely staring at a group of hybrids. They were dressed just like us in winter coats and hats and I wondered why they’d need them. But if they were more human, maybe they wanted to act more human.
Nick fired off a shot but they didn’t return fire. When I glanced up, I noticed the hybrids were gone.
“C’mon!” Nick said. “Let’s go catch them. I have lots of questions.”
He ran to the building and hastily pulled the fire escape down. We bolted up the red, metal stairs and when we got to the top, we didn’t see the hybrids anywhere.”
Nick cursed. “Where did they go?”
I glanced around. “Looks like you chased them off.”
“I swear I’m going to catch one of those things and its going to give me every single answer I want to know.”
I looked at Nick. “They aimed guns at us. Why didn’t they shoot us?”
“I have no idea,” he answered. “They had a clear shot. Yet, they didn’t take it.”
“And they’re not feeding from people in our city,” I said. “What’s going on?”
“Charlie might’ve given them orders not to stir up any trouble. Just to observe.”
“But why would a hybrid listen to that?” I asked. “They don’t take orders. They kill. They murder. They feast.”
“I want to know how many of those freaks Charlie created,” he said.
“They’re stalking us.”
“They’re studying our security, looking for the best way to break it.”
“I can’t believe we’re dealing with a hybrid problem once again.”
Trepidation Page 19