by Bale, Sarah
Daisy
We went back and forth for hours, trying to come up with a plan everyone could agree on. It was starting to feel pointless. When we stopped to eat, I went to the bathroom. There was so much blood on the toilet paper, making me despair even more. This was it. It was over and there wasn’t anything I could do about it except to tell Elijah when we were alone.
I went back to the cafeteria. This time everyone sat closer together as they talked, which was good. We needed to everyone to be on the same page or it wouldn’t matter if we came up with a plan or not.
Grey shook his head. “There’s no fucking way I’m leaving Kat again!”
Dave let out a string of curses. “We can’t all leave to check the gun ranges. It needs to be a group of us.”
“I get that. What I’m saying is it ain’t going to be me!”
Harper said, “Dave, we can go. You, me, Noah, and Jeff.”
Rocco said, “Thanks a lot. Just going to leave me behind.”
“Dude, you’re injured. Not much you can do for us out there, except be biter bait.”
Everyone began to bicker again. Elijah met my gaze. This was bad. He knew it. I knew it. Hell, everyone knew.
I said, “We’ll come up with a plan. We always do.”
My voice gave away my disbelief that we’d find a solution.
Nikki cleared her throat and said, “I’ll go out there and give them what they want. Maybe one death will be enough for them to stop.”
Dave, Noah, Rocco, Jeff, and Harper talked at once.
“No fucking way!”
“Nikki! You can’t!”
“Over my dead body.”
“You’re not going, I am!”
“Did you really think we were going to let you do this?” Dave said the last part.
I could see how much they cared for her. But, she was right. Someone was going to have to go out there and talk to Air. See if he could be reasoned with. It was literally the only thing we hadn’t tried. There would be no lies, tricks, or schemes. Just one person talking to another.
My pulse pounded in my neck.
Making sure no one was watching, I slipped away from the others.
This was madness.
I should turn around right now and forget this crazy idea.
But, this might be the only way.
Opening the back door, I stepped outside. The cold air was a shock against my skin. Goosebumps rose on my arms and I rubbed them away. Quietly, I made my way down the path. The watchtowers were empty, as it wouldn’t do any good to put our people in danger.
Air and his men waited just outside the second gate. They sat around a small campfire and I caught a whiff of some sort of meat roasting.
“Lady. To what do we owe this pleasure?”
“I came to talk.” I was so proud that my voice didn’t quaver.
Air and the man to his right exchanged a smile. “You are brave, lady. None of the others have your courage. What is it you wish to speak about?”
“What will it take for you to leave us alone? To go away and never come back?”
“We told your Boss what it would take days ago. Surrender those inside. The time has come and gone for that offer.”
I nodded. “I understand that. What deal can you make now?”
He looked me up and down. “Lady, you are brave. Do they know you are out here, fighting for them all?”
“I’m fighting for myself, too.”
“You are very brave, lady. But it will do no good.”
My pulse pounded in my ears. It was too late to back down. There had to be another way to convince him to end this.
“Air-”
“The only way this will end is death. Do you submit?”
My breath caught in my throat and Elijah’s face crossed my mind. What if this was the only way? Would Elijah forgive me for doing this to save the others? I knew him, if he were asked to do the same, he would. I just wished I could have told him-
“Lady, I’m waiting.”
“How will I know you will end this after a death?”
“You have my word. Our people will be gone before your blood has stained the ground.”
“Where will you go?”
“Back to our home.”
I inhaled, praying Elijah would forgive me.
“I submit.”
Elijah and the End coming April 2019
Chapter One
Elijah
Everyone had finally stopped bickering, for now. I glanced around the room and noticed Daisy was gone.
I asked Jo, “Did Daisy say she was stepping out?”
Jo shook her head. “I didn’t even notice she was gone.”
I stood and said, “I’ll be right back.”
Maybe she needed some air. I certainly knew the feeling. We’d been talking for hours and with no solution in sight. I stepped into the hallway and didn’t see her. Unease crept up my spine, into my chest. Where was she?
I did a quick check of our room. Nothing. By now, the unease was warring to become full-fledged panic. I went back to the cafeteria.
“Does anyone know where Daisy went?”
Every grew silent, looking around, as if they, too, had just realized she was gone.
“Did she go back to your room?” Kat asked.
“No. I just looked.” I ran my fingers through my hair. “When was the last time anyone saw her?”
Grey stood. “Don’t panic, Boss. We’ll find her.”
I nodded, but felt like I was drowning in fear. Where was she?
James, one of Grey’s men, ran into the room, radio in hand. His eyes were wild and I knew right away this had something to do with Daisy.
“Boss, they want to talk to you.” He held out the radio, hand shaking.
Grey met my gaze as I took it.
“This is Elijah.”
“Hello, fearless leader of the group. How do you fare on this winter night?” Air’s voice said on the other end.
My hand tightened. “What do you want?”
“No need to get snappy, sir. We just wanted to talk.”
Sir was a common enough word, but it felt like a warning. Or a cry for help. Where in the fuck was Daisy?
“Talk about what?”
Air replied, “There are many subjects that would suffice. The weather. The brave and the Dead.”
Grey whispered to me, “I don’t like this.”
“I don’t either.” To Air, I replied, “Who are the brave?”
“Shouldn’t the question be, who are the Dead?” There was a pause. “We had a visitor tonight. Wanted to talk about peace.”
No! No! No!
Grey took the radio from me. “This is Grey. Do you have Daisy?”
“You are not who we want to talk to, long-beard. Put your leader back on.”
Sweat beaded on my forehead and I felt like I was going to pass out. Grey handed the radio back. My fingers tingled and I feared I was going to drop it.
“Are you there, fearless leader?”
“I am.” My voice cracked. “Do you have Daisy?”
“The lady came to talk peace today. Something no one has done before. Something we respected. Her efforts were in vain, though. We do not want peace. We want heads.” He paused. “Have you looked outside? It’s a beautiful night.”
My legs gave out and I sat on the floor. No!
Dave said, “I’ll look.”
He went outside. It felt like he was gone for a million years. Finally, he came back. I couldn’t read his expression.
“There’s a head on a pike. Dark hair. Looks like her.”
A moan left my lips.
Dave went on. “I went to get a closer look. It wasn’t her, Eli, just meant to scare us.”
Air spoke over the radio. “The time has come for you to pay. And you will pay. This is just the beginning. The end is yet to come.”
Also by Sarah Bale:
Ruled by Pain (Goddess Unveiled Book #1)
Ruled by Power (G
oddess Unveiled Book #2)
Ruled by Pleasure (Goddess Unveiled Book #3)
Daisy and the Dead (Daisy and the Dead Book #1)
Elijah and the Living (Daisy and the Dead Book #2)
Daisy and the Lost Souls (Daisy and the Dead Book #3)
Elijah and the New World (Daisy and the Dead Book #4)
Daisy and the Beginning (Daisy and the Dead Book #5)
Elijah and the End (Daisy and the Dead Book #6)
Nikki’s Guide to Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse (Doomsday Dave Book #1)
Moonshine Baby
Virgin Wars
Wedding Wars
The Contender (Wrestling Diaries #1)
The Rematch (Wrestling Diaries #2)
The Main Event (Wrestling Diaries #3)
Hard for the Money (A Bangers Book #1)
Hard Lessons (A Bangers Book #2)
Hard to Handle (A Bangers Books #3)
Sexting St. Nick- A Happy Ending Holiday Novella (#1)
Seducing Jack Frost- A Happy Ending Holiday Novella (#2)
Tasting Sugar Plum- A Happy Ending Holiday Novella (#3)
Anthologies featuring stories by Sarah:
Gone with the Dead
Lone Star Zombie-Con – An anthology of Horror and Hope
About the Author
Sarah Bale's family always knew she was destined to write romances when they saw the elaborate stories she created for her Barbie dolls. At fifteen she penned her first book, which will never see the light of day if she has any say.
When Sarah isn't writing she enjoys spending time with her family and friends and also planning what she’d do in a zombie apocalypse. She resides in Oklahoma and doesn't plan on leaving any time soon.
You can find her at: www.SarahBale.com
Twitter: @Sarah_OKC
