Live Another Day

Live Another Day Page 19

by Baileigh Higgins

  “What about the Bloemfontein thing?”

  “They’re still deciding on that. Most lean towards sending an envoy there, but others are against it. Suspicious and all that.”

  “And you? What are your plans?”

  “Me?” He gave her a slow smile that caused her stomach to do handstands. “I’m staying right here with you until we have a vaccine.”

  “You mean that?”

  Caleb nodded and gripped her fingers. “You’ve got a home in me, Nadia. Forever.”

  Home. The word had a nice ring to it, and for the first time in her life, Nadia felt utterly at peace.

  THE END

  I sincerely hope you enjoyed reading this book as much as I enjoyed writing it. If you did, I would greatly appreciate a short review on Amazon or your favorite book website. Reviews are crucial for any author, and even just a line or two can make a huge difference.

  Read further for more apocalyptic goodness!

  Author’s Note

  So we’ve reached the end of Last Another Day but not the end of the adventure. Would you like to find out what happens to Logan, Breytenbach, and the others next? I’m sure you’re burning to find out. If you still need convincing, then turn the page for a sneak peek at both Survive Another Day, and Die Another Day.

  If you’d like to learn more about my books in general, see upcoming projects, and get clued in on new releases, just check out my website. There are tons of free stories waiting for you if you sign up as well.

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  Sneak Peeks

  In case you haven’t yet read my other dystopian series yet, here’s a brief sample of the book to tweak your interest. It’s a little bit different from the dangerous Days Series (no zombies for one) but who knows, it might just be right up your alley!

  Here’s a sneak peek at the first chapter and blurb. The book is available here: The Black Tide - Remnants

  Fight for those you love

  Besieged by guilt and saddled with the care of her little sister, Ava struggles to cope with the demands placed upon her young shoulders. When an unstoppable disease sweeps across the globe, decimating the population, her life takes a terrifying turn for the worse.

  Threatened with starvation, enslavement, and exile, life becomes a daily struggle for survival. Driven by the need to protect the only family she has left, Ava searches for salvation, a safe haven for them both. But with each passing day, new enemies appear while the people she trusts are swept away on a tide of blood.

  A New Adult Dystopian Novel about one young woman’s struggle to not only survive but thrive in even the most difficult of situations while learning who she really is and what she is capable of.

  Chapter 1 - Sample

  I took the loaf out of the bread bin. It was moldy. Fuzzy patches of white had sprung up around the edges, intensifying to blue-green in places. I picked it off with my nails and popped three slices into the toaster. With any luck, it would taste all right, and nobody would notice. I wrapped up the rest and put it away. Only two slices left.

  “Lexi, are you ready for school yet?” I called. Silence met my ears. “Lexi, we’re gonna be late!”

  “I’m coming; I’m coming.” She flounced into the kitchen, dragging her school bag behind her like it was filled with cement.

  Flopping down on a chair she stared at me, her expression baleful. My little sister was not a morning person. I made her a cup of tea with heaps of sugar, hoping to perk her up. At least, we still had a lot of that.

  I gave her a quick once over and sighed. Her dark brown hair curled out in all directions, the ponytail sagging beneath the weight of the thick strands. “What the hell happened to your hair? Did rats try to eat it? What will your teachers think?”

  “What does it matter? I’m like the only one there.” She crossed her arms and pouted, bottom lip stuck out as far as it could go.

  “That’s not true. There are still lots of kids in school.”

  “Is not. Even Jenny’s mom is letting her stay at home now.”

  “Who’s Jenny?”

  She looked at me with disdain. “Jenny’s my BFF.”

  I snorted. BFF, indeed. Kids. “Well, you heard what Dad said, Lexi. You’re going to school.”

  She stuck her tongue out before slumping forward onto her arms. I knew how she felt. I also hated school as a kid. Now I hated work. Same thing, different day.

  The bread popped out of the toaster, and I grabbed the margarine tub. Crap. It’s empty. I scraped the last bit out and stretched it over a slice. Putting it on a plate, I handed it to Lexi. “Eat up. We’re leaving in five minutes.”

  She eyed the single slice of toast but didn’t complain. “Where’s yours?”

  “I’ve got my own, don’t worry.” I picked up the second slice and waved it at her then crammed it into my mouth, swallowing the dry mush with a sip of tea.

  “Do I get lunch today?” Her face was hopeful, and my heart clenched as I studied her pale face and dull eyes, the ordinarily creamy skin like curdled milk.

  I tried hard to stretch our meager supplies and when possible gave her extra, but she was always hungry. We all were. It made me feel helpless. Reaching into the cupboard above me, I popped out three multivitamins and handed her one. It was one of the few perks my job provided.

  “Sorry, sweet pea. Not today. But I’ll see if I can buy more food after work, okay?” She nodded and ate the last of her toast, swallowing the pill with a grimace. I copied her, worry consuming my mind.

  The shops were running dry. Food deliveries had slowed, and prices had soared to astronomical heights. Never rich to begin with, we now struggled to put food on the table.

  My dad walked into the kitchen, “Morning, kids.”

  “I’m not a kid anymore,” Lexi complained. “I’m ten years old.” She held up both hands for emphasis.

  He rolled his eyes and laughed, ruffling her messy hair.

  I handed him the last slice of toast and a cup of tea with his vitamin. “Here’s breakfast.”

  My dad took it with reluctance. “Have you and Lexi eaten yet?”

  Oh, Dad. Always worried about us.

  “Yes, we have. We’re running low on supplies, though. I’ll see if I can get more after work.”

  He nodded, fishing in his pockets. “Here. I got paid yesterday. Buy as much food as you can. It’s the last.”

  He handed me the notes. It was a pitiful amount, the few hundred rands now meaningless in the face of the growing economic crisis.

  “What do you mean last?” I took in his rumpled appearance for the first time. “Aren’t you going to work today?”

  “The mine’s closed, Ava.” He ran a trembling hand through his hair. The news had hit him hard. “They ran us off yesterday. Told us to get off the property. They even had the police there. People were screaming, fighting…”

  “God, why didn’t you say something earlier?”

  He shrugged and looked away. “I’ll look for another job.”

  My father would never find another one. We both knew that. Unemployment had skyrocketed. This was a massive blow for us, but I didn’t want to rub it in any further. “It’s okay, Dad. We’ll be fine, you’ll see. I’ve still got my job.”

  “Yes, but I worry about you, Ava. Working in the pharmacy is dangerous. What if someone who’s got the sickness goes there? What if you get infected?” His eyes fixed on mine, concern showing in every tired line of his face.

 
Lexi followed the conversation without saying a word, her honey-brown eyes flicking back and forth between Dad and me like it was a tennis match.

  “I won’t, Dad. I’m careful. We all are.” I pulled a set of gloves and a face mask out of my handbag and waved them at him. “Besides, I can’t quit. We need the money. Now more than ever.” To tell the truth, I was terrified I’d get infected. But we had to eat.

  He nodded. “I know, but I still worry.”

  This I knew all too well. Ever since my mom died in a car accident two years ago, he clung to us with desperate intensity. My dreams of going to University quickly faded in the face of his need, and Lexi was so young; she needed me to look after her.

  “It’ll be okay, Dad. You’ll see,” Lexi piped in with the optimism of youth.

  I looked at her and remembered what we had talked about earlier. “I’d be more worried about Lexi if I were you. She shouldn’t still be going to school. It’s too dangerous.”

  “I don’t want her to stop going unless there’s no choice, Ava. She needs the routine, a sense of normalcy. We all do. Besides, the Principal assured me they’re taking precautions.”

  I wasn’t so sure of that. What would a principal know? Hundreds of millions of people across the world were dead, with more dying each day as the disease progressed. Asia and most of Europe were in flames, America had closed its borders, while Africa was a bloodbath. The only thing that had saved our asses thus far was an airport strike over wages. It had prevented the Black Tide from spreading here before the WHO could issue a global alert.

  Still, it had spread to our central cities, sneaking a ride in on the backs of refugees entering the country illegally. Hospitals and clinics had distributed antiretrovirals from stores initially meant for HIV positives. While it couldn’t cure the disease, it did slow it down at first. Until the virus became resistant. Now it was speeding up. How much longer did we have before it showed up in our town? A week? Two weeks?

  “But Dad,” Lexi whined.

  “I don’t think…” I began.

  “We’ll see how it goes, for now, okay?” He held up a hand to forestall any further objections, and we reluctantly subsided. He could be very stubborn when he felt like it, a trait he had passed on to both of us in spades.

  “Fine. If you say so,” I replied, not bothering to hide my irritation. “Let’s go, Lexi. Have you got your jacket? It’s freezing outside.”

  “Got it,” she replied.

  She kissed Dad goodbye, but I walked out after giving him a nod, annoyance fueling my actions. Why did he have to be so stubborn? I ignored the twinge of guilt I felt at the defeated look on his face and stepped outside.

  Our feet crunched over the grass, frost glittering in the early morning sun. I hurried to my car, a rust bucket as old as the hills. The doors creaked as we got in, and I suppressed a grin at the look on Lexi’s face.

  “Why does your car have to be so old? The other kids at school laugh at me.”

  “You can always walk. A second class drive is better than a first class walk.”

  Lexi rolled her eyes at that but refrained from saying anything. I loved these moments. Moments when we could act normally. Like the Black Tide had never happened and we were just two sisters, bickering and teasing each other.

  I turned the key in the ignition. The old girl groaned loudly but refused to start. It took several more tries before she caught, and a cloud of white smoke billowed from the exhaust, much to Lexi’s disgust.

  The petrol tank was low, and I smothered a sigh of despair. Fuel cost a fortune, but I needed it to get to work. It was too dangerous to walk nowadays.

  The cold cut like a knife, so I cranked up the heat. Our breath puffed out in little clouds of mist, and my fingers felt like ice, the knuckles raw and chapped. Winter was never my favorite time of year.

  A look in the mirror confirmed that I looked as bad as I felt. The recent rationing had whittled down my heart-shaped face to a sharp point; the cheekbones were prominent and my skin as white as snow. Dark green eyes gazed back without their usual vigor, and I resolved to get more sleep that night. Maybe even a decent meal.

  I glanced at my handbag with longing. Nestled inside was my last box of cigarettes which I rationed with ferocious intensity. It was unlikely I’d be able to afford more. A terrible habit, one that both Lexi and my dad hated, but I couldn’t help myself. For now, I ignored the craving, turning my attention to the wheel.

  On the way to school, I turned on the radio, flipping between stations hoping for good news. No such luck. The situation was getting worse, not better. “Fuel and food prices continue to rise in the face of this ongoing crisis. All South Africans are advised to stock up on essential items and stay indoors.”

  “Stock up on what? The shops are empty,” I shouted at the radio then closed my mouth when I noticed Lexi’s stricken face. “I didn’t mean it like that, sweetie. I’ll get something after work. Don’t you worry about it.”

  She nodded but whether she believed me was a different matter.

  “The virus spreads through physical contact. Wear a mask and gloves in public at all times. If you or a loved one exhibit symptoms, report to the nearest hospital or clinic for treatment.”

  I snorted. Treatment? What treatment? There was no treatment. Once you got it, you died.

  “The disease first presents itself with typical flu-like symptoms. Fever, fatigue, coughing, sneezing, and headaches which progress to vomiting, diarrhea, bleeding from the gums, ears, nose…” The litany of horror continued, and I switched off the radio. It was depressing, and we’d heard it all a thousand times by now.

  Death’s Children Series

  The Death’s Children Series is a favorite of mine. It tells the stories of six children and teens who find themselves alone in the middle of a zombie apocalypse. They have no adults to help them, only themselves and their equally young friends. Each story ranges between 12 and 15k words so would qualify as a novelette rather than a full story, yet they are oodles of fun and light entertainment fit for any occasion.

  Currently, three of these stories are available for free when you sign up for my newsletter, but you can also simply buy these stories if you’d prefer that route. Up ahead, I offer a link and blurb to the first three in series with more to come.

  Cat’s Eye - Book 1

  For Cat, life is predictable. Safe. Normal.

  Until the short walk home from school takes on terrifying dimensions, challenging young Catherine’s will to survive. In a single moment, everything changes, and her world is overtaken by a tidal wave of rot.

  Fearing for her mother’s safety, Cat embarks on a harrowing journey to search for the one person that means the most to her. The very same person she might have to give up in order to live.

  Young Adult Zombie Apocalypse Novella

  Follow one brave girl’s battle to fight not only the undead but also her own fears and insecurities. A must read for all zombie fans who like gutsy heroines and hair-raising action!

  Ryan’s Luck - Book 2

  For Ryan, life is pretty simple. School, friends, family…girls.

  Until one fateful day when everything changes. Suddenly, he’s not just a teenager worried about asking out the popular girl anymore. Suddenly, he’s a survivor fighting for his life against the undead that now threatens humanity with extinction.

  Burdened with the care of his little sister, Ryan finds he has no choice but to run. Run and find a new home for them all. Aided by his best friend Jonathan, he embarks on a journey that might lead to their salvation. Or their end.

  A Young Adult Zombie Apocalypse Novella

  Follow Ryan as he battles not only the undead but also his own fears and insecurities in the face of great danger. A must read for all zombie fans who like plucky heroes and nail-biting action!

  Lucy’s Chance - Book 3

  For five-year-ol
d Lucy, life is tough enough without the zombies.

  When a routine shopping trip takes on nightmarish dimensions, everything changes for little Lucy. Stuck in the middle of town with her mother, a person with whom she shares a troubled relationship, she learns that monsters don’t only come out after dark.

  Far from her home and the comforting arms of her loving father, she quickly finds that the only person she can trust is herself. Can she make it through the night?

  A Young Adult Zombie Apocalypse Novella

  Follow one brave girl’s battle to fight not only the undead but also her own troubled upbringing. A must read for all zombie fans who like courageous heroines and spine-chilling horror!

  Join the Apocalypse

  SIGN UP HERE FOR YOUR FREE STARTER LIBRARY. JOIN THE APOCALYPSE.

  About the Author

  South African writer and coffee addict, Baileigh Higgins, lives in the Free State with hubby and best friend Brendan and loves nothing more than lazing on the couch with pizza and a bad horror movie. Her unhealthy obsession with the end of the world has led to numerous books on the subject and a secret bunker only she knows the location of.

 

 

 

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