Zombie Overload (Book 3): Learning To Live

by C. M. Wright

  Will brings his hand up and turns my face, exposing the bruise for his close examination. I hold my breath, certain he'll discover the truth. He turns my face back toward him and lays a soft kiss on my nose.

  "I'm sorry. It was killing me to think Jake did this. I'm glad I asked you about it. I love you."

  I let myself breathe again. "I love you, too, Will."

  Stepping back from him, I hand him his clothes and he gets dressed.

  With Will smelling and looking good again, we leave the bathroom and head downstairs. We find Bianca, Jake, and the boy sitting at the table eating something. Getting closer, I see it's canned beef stew. My mouth waters-it could have been almost anything and my mouth would have watered-and Jake moves to the stove, spooning large helpings into two more bowls. Grabbing a couple spoons, he brings them to Will and me.

  I stare at our bowls of stew, paranoia returning. I watch as Will raises the spoon and without thinking, I hit his hand hard and the spoon flies through the air, clattering against the far wall, stew splattering from top to bottom.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Bianca cries out in surprise and the boy flies against her side. Jake bursts out in loud laughter, banging his fist on the table. Will looks at me for a moment then looks at Jake and back at me. He pushes the bowl away and sits back.

  I grab our bowls, tossing them in the trash on my way to the pantry. Finding another can and a new pot, I dump the stew inside, heating it up. Grabbing us a new bowl and spoon each, I lean my back against the counter to wait.

  I stare at Jake, hard. He's still gasping for breath and chuckling, shaking his head. I want to hit him if only because I should be able to trust him, but I can't. Not now. I look over at Will and my body jerks, startled at seeing him looking at me and Jake so intensely. He's got a look of suspicion on his face and I don't like where his mind is probably going.

  Shaking my head, I turn and stir the stew. Satisfied it's hot enough, I pour most of it into Will's bowl and take the bowls to the table-set them in front of us-and drop clean spoons inside. Will and I start eating and I look around the table.

  Bianca is obviously uncomfortable with the drama and avoids eye contact with all but the boy, who she's gotten settled back in his chair-although that chair is now much closer to her own. Jake is finishing his stew and grinning into his bowl, also avoiding eye contact.

  Next I glance at Will and catch him looking at me. I smile at him and duck my head, pretending to be totally involved in nothing but eating. Yes. We will have to talk about all this. Just not now. Now, I just want to get everyone back to my sister's house...alive.

  We finish eating and then search the house for guns and ammo. Considering it's a farm house, it's possible they own guns. We hope, anyway. We do find a shotgun and a few boxes of shells, but that's it. Bianca has made a pile in the small entry room just inside the house with food, blankets, towels, washrags, and other items she thought might be useful. Jake goes over to help her take it all outside and I help Will get settled into the front passenger seat. Will seems better, stronger, and that makes me very happy!

  I walk toward the back of the truck to dig out some pain-relievers for both Will and myself, and just as I turn at the end of the vehicle, I see Jake give me a quick look and then he laughs overly loud at something Bianca had just said. She pauses, obviously wondering what she said that was so funny, and gives him a confused smile.

  Looking at me, she asks how Will is doing. I tell her better and she looks relieved. Jake ignores me, throws the last item in the truck, and shuts the door. I roll my eyes at his back as he walks away and turn back to Bianca.

  "Canada, what's going on?" she asks me, concerned.

  "Long story, Bianca. I'll tell ya when we get to my sisters and get settled. But right now, lets get the hell out of this rain and get going." She grins and nods.

  I jump in the driver's seat, take my pills with some water and give Will his. Finally, we get back on the highway.

  Chapter Seventeen

  I am so happy and relieved to turn off at the exit for my sister's home. I'm tired. Physically, mentally, and emotionally. I just want to see my boys, sleep, and spend time with Will and the rest of my family. That's all I want. Just for one day. Is that so much to ask?

  I turn on the dirt road that leads past my sisters drive and slam on the brakes. Up ahead, the crowd of zombies are thick. You have got to be kidding me! Now what? Apparently, the fact she lives on a hill and we would be safe was just wishful thinking on my part. Damn it!

  Wide-awake now, I shout at the others to wake up. Instantly, four other heads pop up. I hear each one express their disbelief and horror with everything from gasps to cursing.

  "Now what the hell do we do?" I ask no one in general.

  "Hell if I know," the others say, each using different words, but it's all the same. Ok. Well, first thing is to get the hell off this road before they come for us...or wait! That might be a great idea!

  I flash the headlights and honk the horn, over and over. The undead start turning toward me, but only a few of them actually start moving our way. Everyone in my vehicle, except Jake, start screaming at me to "stop", "what the hell are you doing", and other annoying things.

  Ignoring them, I roll my window down and stick out the top part of my body, and then I start yelling all kinds of obscene things at them.

  At this point, the others-but again, not Jake-are screaming at me and trying to pull me back inside. Why can't these damn people just have some faith in me? And shut the hell up, already!

  "Come on, you maggot-filled jackasses! Fresh food, right here!"

  Jake tells the others, "Leave her alone. She knows what she's doing." But they ignore him, too. Thanks for trying, Jake.

  The majority of them are coming for us now. I duck back inside and scream at the others to shut the hell up or get out. That shuts them up. Well, except for the mumbling from Will and the whimpering from Bianca and the boy. But I can handle that over the screaming.

  Putting the vehicle in reverse, I slowly back the truck up, turning onto the paved road so that I'm now horizontal to the undead, who are coming after us with a hunger only our juicy bodies can sate. I hear Will praying and when I look over at him, he's crossing himself. I grin at him, and his eyes bulge when he looks at me and sees the grin.

  "Honey, we're not Catholic," I remind him.

  "You've done lost your damn mind!" Yeah, well, I think I may have lost it a long time ago-at least according to my shrink. But I just shrug at him with a grin and turn back to the zombies.

  They aren't close enough yet. I need the closest to be about five feet from us in order for this to possibly work. Finally, the first of them stagger into those five feet and I slowly drive forward. I drive about ten miles down the road, which takes much longer than it would have if I had been able to go the speed limit.

  Coming to the side road I need, I turn and stomp on the gas, fishtailing on the dirt and rocks. Regaining control, I continue forward, praying I can remember the back way to Rose's. The GPS can't tell me how to get there, as these roads apparently only exist in my imagination.

  There are a few turns before I reach the road to turn back to Rose's so I'm hoping the undead get lost-or at least give us plenty of time to prepare for them. A thought forces its way into my mind and I do my best to shove it back out. What if they had gotten through the fence at my sisters? No, I refuse to believe that!

  Forcing my attention back on the road, I come up to what I hope is the first turn. Things look familiar, although I've only been this way once. The others have finally calmed down and are now talking among themselves, expressing how they would have done the same thing. Bunch of damn liars! They would have sat there bawling and waiting to be eaten! I roll my eyes, shake my head, and tune them out.

  Finally, I get us back on the road to my sisters. As we get closer to the gate, my heart stops when I see that it's been flattened to the ground. Shit! Shit! Shit! I turn onto her drive and slam on the ga
s.

  At the house, the undead are moving around freely, some trying to get inside the house, others surrounding the barn-beating and banging on it. That tells me a couple things. Number one, they haven't been able to get inside yet. Number two, at least one person is in the barn. What it doesn't tell me-is if anyone has been killed, bitten, turned, whatever.

  I pull up next to Jake's truck and lean out as far as I can, opening the back door. Raising it up, I leave the bottom half shut and then crawl out of my window and into the other truck. The undead start coming after me, which I expected, but what can I do?

  Grabbing the weapons, I hand over a shotgun, three handguns, a rifle, and ammo for all. The first zombie reaches us and comes for me-and even though there isn't a lot of room between vehicles-it's enough for a skinny dude like this one. I scoot as far back as I can, the back of the seat pressing into my spine. He has long arms but the height of the truck makes it difficult for him to reach me-just barely. Loading a handgun, I lift it and fire. His head jerks back and then slams hard on the other truck as his body goes down.

  Will moves to the driver's seat and pulls the truck up so that I can shoot my share of the zombies without the truck blocking me. I'm looking straight at the horde now. Letting the others keep them back, I take the time to load as many of the guns as I can.

  Finished, I start taking them down. Where the hell are all these things coming from? I watch as the window on the driver's side of the other truck opens and the barrel of the shotgun sticks out. Turning quickly, I see several coming from that direction.

  I decide the others can handle the ones in the back fairly well on their own and crawl into the front seat. I'm relieved to find the keys lying on the floorboard. I start the truck, roll the window down, and pull myself up and out the window, sitting on the frame. I start with the handgun, but have the shotgun propped next to me on the seat, leaning against the steering wheel so it's easy to get to.

  I help the other shooter-can't tell who it is and don't really care at this point-and eventually we thin the crowd on this side. Now, it's just one or two at a time and I yell out to the other person, asking if they've got this. I hear Bianca's voice call out with a "Yep", so I go back and reload the guns, stash a few more loaded handguns inside my fatigues, and shove handfuls of bullets in every other available pocket. I go back to the driver's window and yell over to Bianca that I'm getting out and to cover me. She calls back an uncertain "Ok" and I get out.

  Slowly creeping my way to the front of the truck, I take a look around, trying to decide the best way to get to the barn. I wait for a few of the wandering zombies to head to the guys on the other side of the truck, and then take off at a run to the garden close to the barn. Between the garden and the barn is a pile of junk, which is where I hide.

  I take out the three zombies banging on that side of the barn and then run over, flattening-as much as I can, anyway-against the outer wall. I decide to head toward the back first since I already know what's waiting in the front. Taking a quick peek around the corner, I would guess maybe twenty are back there. I reload my first handgun and pull out a second handgun.

  Making sure I can quickly and easily get to at least one more gun, I take a quick peek to make sure none of them have moved closer and then I step out, facing them. I take down the closest five and throw myself back against the wall. I reload, since I have a little time, then turn back again. Should have peeked first.

  The female is on me within seconds, her long slender fingers wrapped around my throat. Her body slams into mine and we fall, the force of the ground and my back meeting causes every breath I had stored to whoosh out. Her fingers tighten and, above me, her mouth widens. Foul breath blasts my face and I instinctively try to turn away.

  I see another zombie, a big brute of one, over her shoulder and panic sets in. My attention snaps back to the bitch on top of me when I see something wiggling halfway out of a deep cut on her face. In horror, I watch as a fat, juicy maggot falls free and lands on my cheek.

  HOLY SHIT! I buck and twist, trying to remove her. But her fingers tighten and blood rushes in my ears.

  I can now see the man looming over her and I send up my last prayer. I know it's over for me now.

  Chapter Eighteen

  But what happens next leaves me so disoriented and confused that it takes a moment for me to react. The man grabs the woman and throws her off me! As she goes, her nails dig into my throat, taking deep strips of my flesh with her.

  Finally able to think again, I raise the gun and point it at the man. But he doesn't attack. He just looks at me, and then walks away, toward the end of the property. What. The. Flippin'. HELL?

  I twist my upper body and watch him go until a hand grabs my foot and I whip around, putting a bullet in the next undead's head. I see the woman coming back for me but I'm ready for her this time. Filled with rage at the pain that bitch caused my throat, I feel great satisfaction when I slam that bullet deep in her brain.

  Getting to my feet and bracing my hand on the barn until I regain my bearings, I watch as the other zombies come for me. Sucking in a deep breath, I raise both guns and start shooting. I don't do too bad with my left hand. Missed a couple times but, all in all, not too shabby. Throwing down the now empty gun in my right hand, I pull out another fully loaded gun and continue shooting. Finally, they are all down.

  I see another zombie stagger around the corner from the other end, which sends a spark of fear shooting through me, realizing that one or more could have come up behind me this whole time and I wasn't even paying attention behind me! I turn and check, and it's clear. I peek around the corner and see none coming for me but plenty are heading to the trucks. I reload my guns fast and put the one I'd thrown on the ground back in my pocket.

  I walk toward the zombie that had been curious over the commotion and wandered back here. As I get closer, his grunts, moans, and actions get faster and more intense, but I walk right up to him, pull the trigger, and keep going even as he's crumbling to the ground. Getting to the end of the back wall, I again peek quickly around the corner. Four. I can handle that-but first, I take out the one trying to get into the chicken coop. No chicken for you, Punk!

  I finish off the four others, plus the three more that come around the corner. Quick peek behind me, and I take out the two back there. Moving toward the front, I look around the yard, relieved to only see maybe fifteen to twenty left. Well, that I can see anyway. Edging to the end of the side wall, I peek around toward the front and it's covered with zombies.

  Hearing the sound of engines running, I catch the motion of the trucks moving toward the barn. They stop in front and I see Will and Bianca in the windows of one, and Jake in the window of the other, guns raised and then firing. I take a look around and make a run for the opposite side of Jake's truck. Jerking the back passenger door open, I fly over to the opposite side and roll down the window. Bracing my elbows on the window frame, I join in.

  "Do something that stupid again and I'll just kill you myself, save the zombies the trouble," Jake growls at me over the bangs of the guns.

  "Screw you, Jake. We aren't going to live through this without taking chances. These aren't soldiers from other countries, these are frikken zombies who don't know wartime protocol. They aren't afraid of us or weapons, and I'll be damned if I'm going to just passively watch as my family is killed. Don't get all pissed at me because I have bigger balls than you do," I growl back.

  "Well, that's kinda your fault that my balls aren't near as big as they used to be, now isn't it?" he snaps at me.

  I chuckle and say, "Well, stop thinking with your balls and keep them in your pants. Problem solved. Now shut up, I'm busy." I turn my full attention back to shooting.

  Although I can still hear him mumbling insults at me, I just grin bigger at each one, up until the last of his barely heard words. I pause with my finger on the trigger when I swear he says-"just trying to look out for the one I love and she doesn't appreciate it"-but I had to have heard wr
ong. I give a quick shake of my head and go back to shooting.

  Finally, the ones at the barn are down for good and we circle the house, taking out the stubborn ones, then we drive around the property-where we can-and finish them off. There are some places we just can't get to in the trucks but will check out later, although we keep a close eye on those areas.

  Jake drives us to the barn and we get out. He bangs on the barn door and calls out to whoever is inside. It takes a few minutes, but then the barn door slowly starts to open. My brother, Ryder, shows his face and with relief, pushes the door open further. I see my dad, Kurt, Ricky, Andy, Bo, and even Greg standing together behind Ryder.

  I rush in and hug them all, but hold on longest to Bo. He wraps his arms around me tight and I love every second of it. Everyone is talking all at once and then suddenly the noise and chatter stops. Bo's arms tighten even more and my god does it hurt my already damaged body!

  I hear him gasp and make a noise deep in his throat. I loosen his arms and turn my head, expecting trouble but all I see is Bianca, the boy, and Will. Confused, I look around at the others and everyone is pretty much in the same state as Bo.

  Will! Oh damn! I forgot he's supposed to be dead! Suddenly, Bo's arms are gone from around me and I feel cold and empty without them, but watching him run to his dad and fling himself at him brings more warmth than I have ever known. Tears blind me and my heart aches with happiness.

  I walk over to them and hug them both. The rest of my family comes closer, surrounding us. I let go of my family and take a few steps back. Will and Bo end their embrace but keep an arm around each other. Will accepts handshakes, back slaps, and hugs from the other guys and they fire questions at him until I remind them we have other people to check on.

  We all move out of the barn and head to the house, keeping our eyes open. I see a couple undead coming from the main driveway and Bianca and I walk toward them, shooting as we get closer. Joining back up with the group, we line up on the porch while Kurt bangs on the door, telling everyone to let us in, it's safe now. I wouldn't have gone so far as to say it was "safe" exactly, but that's just me!