“Because we really wanted to see you.”
Will furrowed his brow. “We?”
His mother stepped aside, and it was as if his father appeared out of nowhere. Not surprisingly, he too was dressed in all white, outfitted in a tailored suit. His beard was trim and clean and his smile protruded from under it.
As he had with his mother, Will rushed into his father’s arms. His dad held him tightly, and Will buried his head into the taller man’s chest.
“I’ve missed you so much, Dad.”
“I’ve missed you, too, son.”
When Will pulled away, he looked at both of his parents standing side by side in front of him. It had been too long since he’d seen them together. Tears flooded his eyes.
Still talking to his father, he said, “I’m so sorry I wasn’t there for you. And I’m so sorry I couldn’t save Mom. I—”
“Will,” his father said, cutting him off. “Stop with that talk.”
“But I—”
His father put his hand up. “No. You need to stop blaming yourself for what happens to others. What happened to me and your mother had nothing to do with you.”
“It’s okay,” Will’s mother said. “I can’t tell you how proud I am of you, Will, and how happy I am that I got to spend my last moments with you. I’m fortunate I didn’t die without knowing whether or not you were alive.”
Will continued to cry, and his mother reached out and wiped the tears from his cheek.
“You have to keep living, son. Those other people depend on you.”
Will bowed his head. “I just don’t know if I can handle anymore death. Everyone I love keeps leaving me.”
His mother tilted her head and smiled. “But we haven’t left you, sweetie. We’re right here. All of us.”
Both his parents looked past him, and he furrowed his brow and turned around.
His mouth fell open.
“Hi, Will.”
“Holly?”
She was there in a low-cut flowing white dress. Her bright eyes reflected off the white in the room. Will had never seen her dressed up and with makeup on, and his heart hurt at seeing her now. She was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. He turned all the way around to face her.
Holly approached him and ran her hand down his face before placing both of her palms on his chest.
Crying, he cupped her face and kissed her. It felt so real. He wanted to kiss her forever and never let go. When he finally pulled away from her, she still had her eyes shut, and then she slowly opened them.
“You’re so beautiful,” Will said. “I miss you so much.”
“One day we’ll be together again,” she said. “Just not yet. But I’ll be here waiting for you. I promise.”
Will shook his head. “I don’t want to wait. I want to be with you now.” Looking back, he said, “All of you.”
His parents walked around to where they stood on either side of Holly. A strange feeling came through him.
“It’s time for me to go, isn’t it?”
Holly nodded.
“They need you,” his father said. “Especially the children.”
“And you have a promise to fulfill to Gabriel,” Holly said.
It hit him that he couldn’t stay. Everything in front of him was nothing but a dream. As his mother had said, he’d soon wake up and be at the barren campground. He bowed his head.
He didn’t look up again until Holly lifted his chin. She was smiling at him.
“Everything’s going to be all right, Will. Stay strong. Gabriel, Jessica, the kids; they all need you.”
Will nodded.
“You were the best thing that ever happened to me,” Holly said. “I promise I’ll wait for you.”
She ran her hand on his face once more and then gave him another kiss.
When she turned around, so did both of his parents.
Will watched them walk away, tears flowing from his eyes.
“Oh, Will,” his father said, turning around.
“Yeah?”
“Say ‘hi’ to Jessica for us.”
Will smiled. “I will.”
They turned around, walked away, and faded into the white light. It swallowed them, and they were gone.
Will closed his eyes.
When Will opened his eyes again, it was exactly as his mother had said. He was back at the campground in the exact place he’d fallen asleep. The fire had almost died out, now just barely crackling to stay alive. It was still dark out, but the sun wasn’t far from creeping out to bring a new day.
He sat up and looked over to see everyone else still sleeping. Gabriel lay on one side of the fire, curled up by himself. The two kids had fallen asleep cuddling Jessica. They had all passed out before Will had made it over by the fire to lie down. After his talk with Jessica had ended in that awkward kiss, he’d remained by the water, thinking and reflecting.
All those thoughts had come to a head in the dream he’d just had.
It felt more real than any of the other dreams he’d had since The Fall. But he’d known it had only been a dream. Even still, he wondered if he’d actually talked to his parents and his girlfriend. He refused to believe it wasn’t possible. A few weeks before, he would’ve laughed if someone had told him demons were real and that they could infect the living, turning them into an army of walking monsters. If that were possible, why couldn’t he talk to his lost loved ones in his dreams?
The dream had felt so real, in fact, that he filled with guilt, thinking back to the previous night and the kiss with Jessica. It was that guilt that now kept him awake.
Knowing he wouldn’t be able to fall back asleep, he stood up quietly and went into the nearby trees to relieve himself. When he was finished, he made his way back over to the water.
In the same place he’d sat the night before, he looked out onto the water as the sun came up. Something so simple as watching the sunrise, an event he’d taken for granted so often, now brought such a peace over him. It helped calm him on this morning and prepare him for the day ahead.
Stay strong, Holly had said.
He would, he told himself. There would be time to grieve her later.
Will was still sitting next to the lake when the others began to wake up, not long after sunrise. He allowed them time to stretch and fully open their eyes before he stood up and met them at the campground.
The night before had been awkward, and the others were clearly unsure what to say.
“Morning, guys,” he said.
“Morning,” Jessica said.
“How you feeling, man?” Gabriel asked.
Will shrugged. “I’m all right. I think sleeping helped a lot.”
“Good," Gabriel said, short and muffled.
No one could keep their eyes on Will. The children’s faces were blank and pale. Jessica looked more tired and defeated than Will had ever seen her. And he could tell that Gabriel was anxious to leave, all while at the same time trying to be respectful to Will regarding what had happened the day before.
“You all need to know that I appreciate everything you’ve done in the last 24 hours,” Will began. “I really don’t know what to say at this point regarding what happened. I’m not even sure if there is anything really to say.”
He looked down at Mary Beth and Dylan. Mary Beth stared into the distance, her face contorted into what looked like a permanent frown. Dylan would occasionally look up at Will, but then he’d glance the opposite way of Mary Beth.
Will kneeled down beside them. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t there for you guys last night. You two loved Holly just as much as I did, and it was selfish of me to want to be alone last night.”
The kids looked up at him, eyes watering.
“I love you both so much, just like Holly did. She saved your lives, and she’s a hero.” He shook his head, choking back tears. “We can’t ever forget that.”
Both children were full on crying now, and when Will opened his arms, they spilled into them. Will held
them tight, caressing their backs.
“I miss her so much,” Dylan said.
“Me, too, buddy.”
He held them a little longer, then pulled away.
“You guys honor her by staying strong, all right? It’s what she would want.”
Both children nodded, and Will stood up. He went over to Gabriel.
“I’m here for you,” Will said. “There will be time to grieve later, but for now we’ve gotta finish what we started and find your family.”
He offered his hand and Gabriel took it, pulling Will in for a hug.
“Thank you, brother,” Gabriel said. “I’m so sorry.”
“I know.”
Will pulled away and went to Jessica. He didn’t say anything to her. Instead, he just leaned in and hugged her. “Thank you for being there for me last night,” he said.
She didn’t respond, only continuing to hold him in her arms.
When they were finished hugging, Will and Jessica stared into each other’s eyes for several moments. Will smiled. Bending down, he picked his gun up off the ground.
“All right, let’s hit the road.”
Chapter 29
Today is the day.
Gabriel repeated it to himself over and over again.
The anxiety he felt was ten times more than that of when he’d arrived at his house in Alexandria.
Since waking up from the plane crash, Gabriel’s thoughts had wavered regarding his family. Some days, he knew he would find them, and others he felt hopeless. But today, he knew he would find them when they arrived at the cabin.
The image of his broken home was burned into his mind. Barring a miracle, he would never return to his house—he was almost sure of it. The last memory of his home would be his room rotting with Empties, covered in blood. He would have to try to remember the many good memories he’d had there. Like holding their first Christmas celebration in the home, having both his parents and Katie’s there to celebrate. Or the morning Katie opened the shower curtain while he was getting ready for work to show him the positive pregnancy test. The evening they brought Sarah home for the first time. His daughter’s first birthday party, which they’d held in the backyard.
All these and so many more memories which had been made in that house.
But it was only a house, and the most important contents of that house had left, and were alive in the cabin they were heading to. He clutched the photo album in his hands, looking down at it and remembering what mattered.
“Can you hear me, Gabriel?”
“Huh?” Gabriel said, shaking his head and looking to Jessica, who was driving.
“I’ve said your name like eight times trying to get your attention.”
“Sorry, I was zoned out.”
“Well, I need you to tell me where we are and when I need to turn off.”
He looked outside. To his surprise, most of the highway and countryside was clear of Empties. It was all very familiar to him, and especially the oncoming exit. The large travel stop at the top of the ramp was somewhere his family had stopped each time they’d gone to the cabin. It stocked more general groceries than a common convenience store, so Gabriel and his family had been able to pick up some extra food and snacks before heading up to the secluded cabin.
“It’s the next exit after this one,” Gabriel said.
He peeked into the back seat. Will was asleep in between the kids, who had their heads on each of his shoulders and were passed out, too.
“I don’t think he got much sleep,” Jessica said.
“Can you blame him?” Gabriel asked. He had hardly slept either, lying by the fire most of the night and seeing the faces of his wife and daughter in the flames.
“We’ve all suffered great loss,” Jessica said. “But today is going to be a day of redemption.”
Gabriel stared at her for a moment before putting his hand to his chin and staring out at the passing landscape.
“This the exit?” Jessica asked several moments later.
“Yeah. Go right at the end of the ramp and the turn is about four miles down the road.”
“All right, just tell me when.”
“Are we almost there?” Dylan asked from the back seat in a groggy voice.
“We are,” Jessica said.
Will yawned, and Mary Beth stretched.
Gabriel turned his attention back out the window as Jessica turned at the end of the ramp.
I’m almost there.
Today is the day.
Gabriel had driven up the winding road leading to his in-laws’ cabin so many times before, but he’d never felt like he did now. The two-hour drive South had usually been filled by singing songs with his daughter and plenty of laughter and excitement for the stay at the cabin. Once there, they’d camp, fish, hike, and relax as a family. Now, Gabriel shook almost uncontrollably as Jessica pulled up the familiar gravel path.
The cabin stood at the top of a steep, winding road. Trees crowded the gravel path, making it narrow. Katie’s father had hit the jackpot on some tech stock in the 90s and made a small fortune. He’d bought the cabin with a plan to retire there, but Katie’s mom had wanted to spend their old age on the beach, so the cabin had just become a vacation home.
The leaves on the trees had started to fall with the season, making it easy to look for Empties in the woods. Nothing was out there.
Ahead was a bend in the road, and when Jessica veered around it, Gabriel knew the cabin would come into view. He hoped to see his daughter swinging in the tire swing on the tree out front, his wife smiling as she watched her. He pictured Katie wearing the yellow cardigan she always threw on at this time of year.
Gabriel closed his eyes as Jessica punched the gas to round the corner where the incline steepened.
When he opened them again, the cabin was there. A Jeep was parked out front, but Katie and Sarah were nowhere to be seen.
“Pull up next to it,” Gabriel told Jessica, speaking of the Jeep.
As when they’d gotten to his house, Gabriel opened his door first and while they were still rolling, but only slightly this time. He had no intention of hopping out of a moving vehicle again.
But when Jessica parked next to the Jeep, Gabriel threw the door open and ran for the front of the cabin.
“Gabriel, wait,” Jessica said.
Gabriel ignored her, trying the handle on the front door. It was locked. He thought to break through, but instead ran around the side of the cabin to look for another door or open window.
“Stay with the kids in the car,” Will yelled to Jessica as he chased Gabriel around the side of the cabin.
Gabriel quickly checked the windows on the side of the cabin as he passed by, but they were closed. He arrived at the back door, where he was about to peek through the curtains. He couldn’t see anyone inside. He tried opening the back door and found that it, too, was locked.
“Katie?” he called out, banging on the back door. “Sarah?”
No response.
“Here,” Will said. “Let’s see if we can get in through one of these win—”
Before Will could finish, Gabriel had picked up his leg and kicked the door as hard as he could, breaking it off its hinges.
Gabriel entered the house.
Looking into the living room from the kitchen, his mouth fell open and he had to catch himself on the wall so that he didn’t fall over and pass out.
“Katie?”
Chapter 30
When Will entered the cabin, he saw Gabriel slumped against the refrigerator, the gun still in his hand at his side. He was crying, his hand over his mouth.
Will heard the snarl and looked into the living room.
An Empty with long hair stood on the far side of the room near a closed bedroom door. Will had seen enough of the creatures now to know which ones had recently turned versus which had been Empty for several days, or even weeks. This creature wearing a yellow cardigan over a dark blue blouse was newly Empty, perhaps only turned within the
previous few days. It had spots of blood around its mouth, hinting that it could’ve eaten some, but not a lot.
Gabriel was sobbing now, pulling Will’s attention away from the beast. Then it hit Will, and he realized why Gabriel was falling apart.
“Oh my God,” Will muttered.
Sarah, Gabriel’s wife, snarled as she pulled away from the bedroom door and headed for the kitchen.
Will looked back to Gabriel, who stared at the creature, his mouth covered and tears pouring from his eyes. With the Empty that had been the love of Gabriel’s life heading his way, Will knew he had to do what Gabriel could not.
He raised his Glock and stepped in front of Gabriel so his friend wouldn’t have to watch the Empty receive a bullet to the brain.
His finger inched over the trigger and he aimed.
“No!” Gabriel yelled.
Before Will could fire, Gabriel tackled him, sending both of them to the ground. The gun flew out of his hand, and his shoulder hit the linoleum so hard that he thought it might’ve dislocated.
“What the fuck?” Will cried.
The weight left him, and he looked up to see Gabriel, red-faced and scowling at him. Before Will could make a move for the gun, Gabriel had kicked it to the other side of the kitchen.
“What are you doing?” Will asked.
Eyes bloodshot and teary, Gabriel said, “That’s my wife, man. We can’t kill her.”
“That’s not your wife and you know it. Your wife is gone.”
Gabriel raised his handgun, pointing it down at Will.
Will’s heart raced a hundred miles per hour and he raised his hands.
“Don’t you fucking say that about her,” Gabriel said.
Will looked past Gabriel to see an oak dining room table sitting between the wall and the end of the bar, blocking the Empty from getting into the kitchen. Someone had apparently moved it there, leaving Will and Gabriel safe for the moment.
His hands raised, Will got to his knees and then stood.
“Put down the gun, Gabriel.”
Gabriel didn’t abide. He kept the gun pointed at Will’s chest. Behind him, the Empty continued to growl as it ran into the table. It banged on the top, trying to continue forward but without having the sense to push the table out of the way.
Empty Bodies Box Set | Books 1-6 Page 101