Rise of the Undead (Book 5): Apocalypse Z

by Higgins, Baileigh

  After the failed attack by King, Nick had wasted no time getting things back on track. The damaged defenses and infrastructure were repaired, the wounded treated, and the dead buried. Electricity, water, and plumbing were restored, and the cafeteria operated at full steam again, serving those who lived in the barracks.

  Citizens received rationing tickets, and a thrift store supplied all their needs. Anything from batteries to hair dye and old magazines lurked within its depths. At the same time, a thriving farmer’s market every Friday allowed the citizens to trade goods among each other.

  Saul’s team, recognized as one of the best even among the military, rooted out the last of the ex-cons lingering in the area. They also cleared out the university where King had holed up and returned triumphant with truckloads of supplies: weapons, ammunition, vehicles, medicine, army uniforms, blankets, and tools.

  Plans were made to plant several acres of crops managed by teams of civilians, and the various raiding parties searched far and wide for more supplies. Tara was in charge of the lab, producing vials of the cure in readiness for the next zombie attack, and the kids were back in school. There were even religious services on offer at a nearby church, with different times allocated to different faiths. Things were looking up.

  During this time, Dylan took it upon herself to go house-hunting. She found the perfect place in a sheltered cul-de-sac with a small park in the middle. Amy claimed a neat three-bedroom house for her, Alex, and Jenny, while Nick and Dylan moved in next-door. Tara and Saul took the home adjacent while Ethan moved into the cottage at the far end. That left only one house unoccupied, but Alex was sure it wouldn’t be for long.

  “Are you warm enough, Alex?” Amy asked, appearing next to his chair. She fussed with the blanket around his legs until he shooed her away.

  “I’m fine, Sis. You don’t have to coddle me,” he said.

  “I’m not coddling you. I’m just looking after you,” Amy replied. “Doctor’s orders.”

  Alex rolled his eyes. “I can look after myself. Besides, it looks like Jenny needs your help more than I do.”

  “Huh?” Amy asked, turning to look at the girl in question.

  Jenny sat at a small table on the far end of the porch. Her right hand gripped a pencil, poised above an exercise book filled with mathematical problems. Judging by the ferocious look on her tiny face, things weren’t working out the way they were supposed to.

  Rufus sat next to her on the table. Now and then, she’d point the pencil at him before stabbing at the paper. “No, Rufus. That can’t be right. You must listen during class.”

  “Oh, dear,” Amy murmured. “I’d better find out what’s going on over there.”

  “Do you think she’ll ever stop talking to that stuffed bear?” Alex asked.

  Amy shrugged. “The teacher said it’s quite normal. A coping mechanism.”

  “Well, you’d better hurry up before she skewers Rufus like a Shish kebab,” Alex said with a chuckle.

  Amy hurried away, and Alex turned his attention back to their surroundings. He loved their new home. Amy had chosen well. The house was small and manageable, but not cramped. The bottom floor consisted of an open-plan kitchen, dining room, and living room, while the bedrooms and bathroom were upstairs. There was also a built-in pantry and a wide porch complete with two rocking chairs. It was his favorite spot, and he enjoyed sitting there in the afternoons now that winter was almost over.

  A short driveway of gravel led down to the gate, flanked on either side by flowerbeds and cultivated lawn. Granted, it looked forlorn and scraggly, but spring would fix that soon enough. Two bicycles leaned against the white picket fence, Amy and Jenny’s preferred mode of transport.

  George lounged on a patch of dry grass, his ears twitching whenever he heard a new sound, though he was too lazy to investigate the source. He jumped up, however, when a truck turned the corner, the open back loaded with suitcases.

  “Who’s that?” Jenny asked, pointing at the vehicle.

  “I don’t know,” Amy said, standing up.

  “Me neither.” Alex craned his neck as the truck stopped in front of their gate. The driver’s door opened, and a familiar figure stepped out.

  “Amanda?” he asked.

  “Hey, Alex,” Amanda replied with a wave. She stepped through the gate and paused to greet George. The pup wriggled around her legs with exaggerated enthusiasm and slobbered all over her hands. “Yes, George. I’m happy to see you too.”

  Alex grinned. “This is a surprise. What brings you here?”

  “Didn’t you hear?” she asked, walking up the driveway while fending off George’s attentions. “We’re moving in.”

  “We?” he asked, squinting at the other figure that exited the passenger side of the truck. “Is that…?”

  “Brenda!” Jenny cried. Books went flying as the child hurled herself off the porch and into the waiting Brenda’s arms.

  Brenda picked up the child and whirled her about in a circle. Jenny shrieked with delight while George barked madly, eager to join in the fun. It took a few minutes for both Jenny and George to calm down and order to be restored.

  “Have a seat,” Amy offered, her slender form flitting about as she welcomed Amanda and Brenda to her home. “Would you like some coffee or cool drink? Let me take your coats.”

  Alex’s heart contracted inside his chest at her words. She sounded so much like their mother in that moment, and he realized with a start that she was no longer a child. Not even a teen. She’s all grown up now—a woman in her own right.

  It was a bittersweet revelation.

  “That’s alright, thank you. We can’t stay long,” Amanda said. “It’s getting late, and we still need to unpack our things.”

  “You said you were moving in? Where?” Alex asked.

  “Dylan said we could take the empty house on this street,” Amanda said. “If that’s okay with you guys, of course.”

  “Of course, you’re more than welcome,” Alex said, joy filling his heart. He liked and admired Amanda. It was the one thing he missed about the infirmary: their long conversations about everything and anything under the sun.

  “We’d be happy to have you as neighbors,” Amy agreed.

  “Perfect. I was hoping you wouldn’t mind,” Amanda said with a relieved smile.

  “Yeah, we’re tired of the staff quarters at the infirmary,” Brenda added, carrying Jenny on one hip. “We never get a moment’s peace.”

  “I can imagine it must be tough, living at the place you work,” Alex said. “This way, you can get some time off.”

  “Now, you can visit Rufus and me every day,” Jenny told Brenda with a happy smile. “And George, too,” she added hastily.

  Brenda pressed a kiss to Jenny’s forehead. “I’ll try my best, sweetheart.”

  “Only if you promise to do your chores,” Amy said, wagging her finger.

  Jenny frowned. “Alright. If I have to.”

  Brenda laughed and dropped her voice to a whisper. “I’ll help you with your homework. Deal?”

  “Deal!” Jenny cried.

  “Hey,” Amy said. “No fair!”

  Alex shook his head as warmth welled up within his chest. It was a pleasant heat. The kind that came with good times and a sense of well being. Everything might not be perfect, and spring was on its way with its own set of problems, but he had everything he needed right there: friends and family.

  Epilogue II - Bannock

  Bannock watched Tara drive away with horrified disbelief. With her went his only shot at safety. He didn’t stand a chance. That much he knew. He was on foot in the middle of nowhere. Even worse, he was unarmed. Panic set in, and his knees went weak. I’m a dead man.

  He stared at the dark forest that surrounded him. The trees reached toward him with gnarled branches, and the thick undergrowth hummed with menace. His imagination went into overdrive, and he pictured scores of hungry zombies roaming its depths. A clump of dried leaves shivered on the branches of
an oak tree, and he raised both fists in a hopeless attempt at self-preservation. After several fear-filled seconds, he realized it was only the wind. Get it together. It’s just a stupid breeze.

  His eyes fell on a signboard in the distance, and he stumbled toward it. Maybe, he wasn’t doomed, after all. If he could reach the next town, he could find a car and a gun. As he trudged along the worn asphalt, anger blossomed inside his chest. With it came a plan of sorts, and determination cleared his mind. “That bitch. I’ll show her what happens when you mess with me. I’ll go to Mount Weather and tell them she and that traitorous Nick are fixing to take over the country. I’ll tell them they’re a bunch of fanatics bent on killing everyone who resists them.”

  He smiled as he neared the signboard, and his pace quickened. It was a good plan. Not only was Mount Weather still operational, but they boasted a sizable security detail. After the fall of the government, several of the surviving army platoons had retreated to its welcoming arms. He knew this because King had told him it was his next target. King. I should never have followed him. I thought he was strong and ruthless, but it turns out he was an idiot. I’m glad he’s dead.

  His plan to go to Mount Weather expanded further within his brain. He envisioned himself as a savior of sorts. He’d show up and demand to speak to the commander. He’d explain how Tara was trying to mutate the Vita virus, how she was attempting to weaponize it. What could be worse than having zombies at your beck and call? An undead army to crush all your enemies to dust. Such a thing could not be allowed.

  Mount Weather would believe him; he was sure of it. As a former head-researcher for USAMRIID, he carried a certain amount of authority. And I’ll use it to my advantage. I’ll see to it that Tara suffers before she dies.

  As he neared the signboard, he found that the next town was only a couple of miles away. Buckeystown wouldn’t have much in it, but he should be able to find a working vehicle and a weapon of sorts.

  Setting his sights on the road ahead, he marched with growing confidence. Things could still work out the way he’d wanted. He could still end up in a position of power and authority. The kind of life that a superior intellect such as his deserved. With a cocky smile playing across his lips, Bannock faced a bright future.

  ***

  The creature once called Graham stumbled through the woods with jerky movements. The terrain was uneven, and his coordination wasn’t what it used to be. His undead brain lacked the capacity for smooth mobility, not that he’d been all that active when he was alive either. His pursuits had been of the academic kind, rather than the athletic side of things.

  His clothes were worn and stained with blood and other things. Things that didn’t bear closer inspection. It was a shame because the material was of superior quality, and the leather loafers had once served him well. Now only one remained, the other foot bare and encrusted with dirt.

  If Graham were capable of rational thought, he would’ve been horrified at the state of his dress. Always painfully neat in life, he’d prided himself on presenting a dignified appearance. It was important in his line of work, as well. One didn’t often see unkempt history professors giving a class to advanced students. Now, the only student he cared about was the kind he could eat.

  His mindless wandering brought him to the edge of the woods, and he paused to survey the open area before him. Suddenly, his senses sharpened as he honed in on a short, balding figure waddling along the road in a white lab coat.

  Saliva flooded Graham’s mouth, and he broke into a run. His lack of agility did nothing to slow him, and a hungry howl vibrated up his throat. The object of his intense focus looked back, and its face dissolved into an expression of abject terror. Not that Graham could recognize the play of emotions anymore. The only sensation he knew was the urge to devour.

  As he pounced upon the pitiful creature, it fought against his hold with surprising strength. But in the end, it was all for naught, and Graham’s teeth clamped down on the man’s soft, tender flesh. Rich, life-giving blood filled his mouth. It was a feeling like no other, and he wasted little time diving back in for more.

  More, more, more.

  He continued until the figure below him stopped squirming, its life force leaking into the unforgiving asphalt.

  Graham devoured the banquet that had so deliciously fallen into his lap until the taste of death tainted the meat. Disinterested in the pathetic remains, he climbed to his feet and resumed walking down the road. Searching. Always searching.

  In his wake, the Vita virus wormed through the veins of the cooling corpse and settled into the brain. It extended tendrils of influence outward until it took control. The thing that used to be a brilliant scientist called Dr. Bannock struggled erect. Its motor functions were severely impaired by the damage its creator had wrought upon its body.

  No matter.

  The only thing that mattered was continuing the spread of the disease. To find more hosts and spread the infection through the only means it had at its disposal. Its teeth.

  Do you want more?

  So we’ve reached the end of Apocalypse Z - Book 5, and I really hope you enjoyed reading the book as much as I enjoyed writing it. If you did, please consider leaving a review as that makes it so much easier for an author like me to reach more readers like yourself and to keep writing. You can review the book here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0852299XK

  And, that’s not all. Apocalypse Z - Book 6 is now available for preorder on Amazon. Available here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08681K4N6

  Plus, there’s lots more where this came from. If you enjoyed this series, why not check out the other books on my Amazon Page? I have numerous completed series, boxed sets, and plenty more projects planned for the future. You can view it all right here: https://www.amazon.com/Baileigh-Higgins/e/B01LYMGFUG

  Apocalypse Z - Book 6

  Available here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08681K4N6

  Blurb:

  Survival is just the beginning…

  After a decisive battle, the treacherous lieutenant King is finally dead and buried. Having dealt with their most dangerous foe yet, the survivors at Fort Detrick must look toward the future.

  Humanity is on the brink.

  Surrounded by vast, roaming hordes of zombies and predatory groups of raiders, life has become a daily struggle for survival. With only each other to rely on, they have to find a way to reclaim the world from the living and the dead.

  Book 6 of a thrilling new post-apocalyptic series, Apocalypse Z. Hold on to your seat because this is going to be one hell of a ride!

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