Avenging Angel: Z is for Zombie Book 7
Page 16
“You aren’t the bridge. You are a mistake. You were too chicken shit to fight on the right side, so you bailed,” Kim said, “let them go if they want to so much. We’ll ride with them to the end of the safe zone.”
A man went to fetch horses.
Hannah dropped her gaze, got her bags, and took Pinky’s hand. “I love you, Mom and Dad.”
“We love you, Honey. We hope you can come back when whatever is driving you lets go. Forgive yourself and come home,” Beth’s voice shook, “come talk to Len.”
“Beth….” Adam looked back once. “You’ve fought the bad men with guns at your gates, and you’ve fought the Zs with their poisonous bites. What happens when an army of us march: having both the poison and the guns?”
Beth knew it was a threat even if he were just talking to hear himself and was full of false bravado; the idea might appeal to him one day for real. “Same as always, I’d kill you where you stand.”
“Not if Hannah were leading the army.”
“Adam,” Hannah snapped, “Stop it.”
She allowed Adam to whisper to her and relaxed with his softly spoken words and nodding. Tempers were too hot on both sides. It was just talk. In time, this would cool off, and they could all speak calmly and get along.
“This has to stop,” Andromeda said as she stepped out from behind a tree, her pistol on Hannah, “I can’t believe you let him threaten us.”
Beth positioned herself between her daughter and the woman holding the gun. Johnny and Conner didn’t know whom to cover.
“You’ve gone too far, Hannah,” Andie called out, stepping closer, “it’s time this ended. You need to be put down.”
Hannah had her own pistol out, unsure of what to do but terrified of Andie.
Several things happened at once or were separated by split seconds, and in the chaos, it was impossible to know what anyone else was doing.
Andie and Hannah both fired at one another, their bullets rang out, and Beth moved between them.
Hannah began screaming as Andie and Beth both fell, but before Hannah could get off her horse, Adam had his own horse and Hannah’s horse moving.
In the confusion, Hannah didn’t know whom her father shot at, but Kim was crazed with emotion and shot Pinky; the little girl landed on her side.
Hannah screamed.
Johnny ran to Andromeda and Beth, yelling that if Andie moved, she would shoot her where she was, but neither woman was moving at all.
Conner shot at Adam, not knowing if that were right, but it felt damned good to try. Adam’s shoulder twitched with the hit, but he and Hannah rode hell bent for the end of the safety zone, never looking back although Hannah sobbed the whole time.
John Ponce stood with his hands raised, scared he would be shot for some reason and would be unable to help anyone because of the infection he carried in his body that could be transferred to anyone bleeding.
Julia. Matt. Mark. Then Carl and Teeg ran down to the gate, unable to figure out what was happening as they took in the scene. All three shots and three were on the ground.
“Kim? Johnny? Status?” Mark bellowed as he ran.
Kim slumped to the ground, crying, holding Beth in his arms, and rocking her.
Matt felt gut kicked as he knew this was the end of the road for at least one person.
Johnny stared at Mark with somewhat of a blank look. She struggled to speak; then as trained, she answered, “Two dead. One dying, Sir.”
-Fort Worth 2013
About the author:
catt dahman lives with her husband, child, four cats, a dog, and a ferret outside of Fort Worth. She graduated from Texas A&M with a Master’s degree. She’s been writing for thirty odd years and enjoys the genres of westerns, horror, and splatter punk. Find her at website , or Face Book , or Amazon.
Copyright.
catt dahman
©, 2013, catt dahman
cattdahman@aol.com
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This book contains material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part of this book, including the cover and photos, may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from the author / publisher. All rights reserved.
The characters, places, and events depicted are fictional and do not represent anyone living or dead. This is a work of fiction.
Z is for Zombie Order:
George’s Terms
Event Horizon
Shadow of Doubt
Devil’s Details
Rage
What Lies Beneath
Avenging Angel
End of the Road
Terms Mystique