The Decaying World Saga Box Set [Prequel #1-#2 & Books #1-#2]

by Garza, Michael W.

  The survivors moved in a hurried response. Jacob assured Mia he could handle the first watch and urged her to follow the others. She stepped into the building and closed the door behind her. Light from several broken windows dotted the dim interior, highlighting the figures spread around the open space. A collage of bloody footprints running down the center of the room gave hope that the infected hunting parties had already cleared the building and was moving in the other direction.

  Mia found her father resting underneath the window closest to the entrance. A handful of tribesmen sat around him most of their faces covered in blank, hopeless stares. Mia made her way between the men and sat down on her knees in front of her father. His glassy-eyed expression gave her a sudden recognition of the severity of his condition.

  “Father, I’m sorry I—”

  He stopped her with a wave of his hand and then broke into a coughing fit that ended with several lines of blood on his lips.

  “It’s not important now.”

  Mia didn’t know what to say. She’d never seen her father look so helpless. All of the anger she had built up toward him melted away in an instant. Part of her wanted to lash out at him for not listening to Rowan, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it. She took his hand and the coldness of his fingers frightened her.

  “We have to leave the city,” she said. “There has to be somewhere safe for us out there.”

  Arkin clenched his teeth and squeezed her hand. “They’ll need someone to lead them,” he said.

  “They need you.”

  Arkin shook his head. “I’m not going to be able to do that.” He pulled her closer. “They’ll follow you.”

  “But…” She didn’t have the words.

  “They have to,” he said. “That’s what I’ll tell them.”

  Mia felt tears forming in the corners of her eyes, but she refused to cry. “I can’t do that.”

  Arkin broke into another coughing fit. He struggled to control his spasm. Mia’s grip tightened around his hand, and he stopped long enough to respond.

  “You must.”

  ♦

  Jacob kept watch until he was satisfied the infected and the dead were moving away from the survivor’s hiding spot. He relayed the news to Mia and she stewed over the way forward in silence. She stayed close to her father as the last remaining member of the tribe’s council struggled to breathe. The weight of their predicament paralyzed Mia. Arkin relayed his decision for Mia to lead the group, and the reluctant acceptance by the remaining lot was palpable.

  Mia wasn’t sure why her father put her in charge. The idea of a young woman leading the tribe would have been laughable only a few days before. She studied the faces of the survivors within the dim interior of their safe house and realized the true challenge ahead of her. There were only a handful of able-bodied men and women, few of them skilled enough to carry a weapon let alone fight with one. A sudden realization that there were no infants among the group brought a sickness to her gut that she couldn’t shake.

  “What’s our plan?”

  Jacob’s question pulled her mind from the darkness.

  “Our plan?”

  Jacob shrugged. “Either I wait it out here and try and get out of the city after everything dies down or I go it with you.” He looked around at the sad lot. “There’s a lot of cannon fodder here.”

  Mia wasn’t sure she understood his reference, but she guessed the meaning. “They’re people, my people.”

  Jacob shrugged again. “I’m not really good with people anymore,” he admitted. “Doesn’t change the point.”

  “I’m not as worried about getting out of the city as I am with what we’re going to do once we get out there,” she said.

  “Well, you should be,” Jacob countered. He looked back at the group and lowered his voice. “They’re slow and some of them are wounded. They’ll be lucky to get out alive.” He turned and looked directly into her eyes. “And what about your father?”

  Mia didn’t know what he was asking.

  “I’m dying, not deaf,” Arkin said. He opened his eyes and looked over at Jacob.

  “We’ll have to go slow,” Mia said, interrupting the men’s intense stare down. “But we can rest along the way,”

  “That’s not what he’s asking,” Arkin said.

  He shifted his shoulder and pulled aside one half of the top of his robes. The blood wiped away with the material and left a clear view of the bite marks along his chest. Mia couldn’t speak. Jacob filled in the answer she was trying to ignore.

  “He’s infected.”

  Mia shot up to her feet. A sudden rush of emotion overwhelmed her, and she tried to hide it from the others. It took a moment to get the words out of her mouth.

  “What happened?”

  “Sit down,” Arkin said, urging her to lower her voice. “You mustn’t show weakness.” He leaned back. “I won’t be going any farther with you.”

  The finality of his statement was too much for her. Mia considered running out into the street to hide herself. Her hands shook against her thighs as she tried to gather her emotions.

  “Sit down,” Arkin repeated, this time with more aggravation in his tone. “There’s not much time.”

  Mia hesitated and then did as she was told. She steadied her nerves, but she could feel herself on the verge of a breakdown. She clutched her fists until her nails dug into her palms. She felt everyone’s eyes on her.

  “It happened quickly,” Arkin said. “They were on us so fast that there was little we could do to fight back. I was cornered and they got on top of me…” He trailed off before hacking up something in his throat. He tried to talk through it. “I wouldn’t be here if Barrick hadn’t risked his life to save me.”

  Mia turned her head to find her father’s savior. Barrick was doing his best to pretend he couldn’t hear what they were saying. He wasn’t in much better shape than Arkin. Blood soaked one side of his pants and a long split in the material revealed a deep gouge above his knee.

  Mia turned back to her father to find him staring at her. The intensity was gone, replaced by a look she didn’t immediately understand. Arkin’s face softened as he tried to breathe between clenched teeth. Mia waited, unsure of what she was supposed to do. Jacob remained close to her, while trying to exclude himself from the conversation.

  “I’ve been wrong about a great many things,” Arkin said. “When your mother died, I was left with a burden I didn’t rightly understand.” Mia tried to interrupt, but he talked over her. “I only wanted what was best for you and your brother.” His strength nearly cracked at the mentioning of his lost son. “I wanted to ensure that someone would be there to protect you once I was gone.”

  Mia couldn’t take it anymore. “I know,” she said and leaned in, pressing her face against his bloody chest. “I know.”

  Arkin hesitantly stroked her hair in an unfamiliar show of affection and then quickly forced her to sit up.

  “There’s not enough time for what I want say,” Arkin continued, “so, I’ll say what I need to say instead.” He coughed again and blood spat across his lap. “We cannot survive this; the tribe must seek safety outside of the city, and this time it will be for good. I wish I knew where to guide you, but my stubbornness has blinded me from this. For once, I wish I would have listened to you about Rowan.”

  “It’s not important now,” Mia said.

  “It is,” Arkin insisted, “but there’s nothing I can do about it.” He looked past her. “There’s not much left of us, but they will follow someone willing to try and save them.”

  Mia caught Jacob looking in at the conversation.

  “Do you think we could do it?”

  Her question caused Jacob to shudder. He shook his head as he looked over the dismal group.

  “I wouldn’t promise anything,” Jacob admitted. “If we made it out of the city,” he paused, “there might be a chance.”

  Arkin nodded.

  “Then that’s what I’ll tell the
m,” he said, refocusing on his daughter. “You’ll lead them out of the city and from there look for a safe place to hole up and decide where to go next.”

  “There’s men among them,” Mia objected. “Barrick could—”

  Arkin shook his head. “He’s not a leader,” he insisted. “I’ve seen it in you. You have the heart of a warrior. You are the future of our people and their survival will fall to you.” He fought to control his breathing. “There’s no more questions. This is what I’m asking you to do, will you do it?”

  Mia bit her bottom lip. She struggled with the answer although she knew she had no other choice.

  “Of course.”

  Arkin dipped his head. “I’ll tell them,” he said. “Come now, let’s get this over with.”

  Mia stood up and helped him get to his feet. He rose slowly and nearly collapsed before he caught his balance. He relayed the news and the stunned faces provided little response. Most of them were lost in their own misery, incapable of caring what direction they would be led. Mia and Jacob helped Arkin retake his seat.

  “Unfortunately, my child, there is one last thing I must ask you to do.”

  Mia froze, unsure of the sudden fear seizing her heart. She looked from her father’s face to Jacob’s distraught gaze, then took a deep breath and waited for Arkin to relay his final request.

  13

  “Can you run?”

  Rowan wasn’t looking at Garret, but he knew he’d fallen down. The dead were relentless, driven far more than either of them had ever seen.

  “Give me a moment,” Garret said.

  Rowan slid his face beyond the front end of the rusted-out car they were hiding behind. The first row of decomposing bodies pushed into the street a block away.

  “We don’t have that long.”

  Rowan grabbed Garret by the arm and forced him to stand. He pushed him with one hand to get him moving and then started at the slow trot they were forced to keep. Neither of them was in any shape to continue, and Rowan figured one of them wouldn’t make it. He was trying to decide which way they should be going; however, his thoughts drifted to Mia. He had to believe she made it out of the city alive, he had to believe she was out there somewhere looking for him.

  “I can’t do this,” Garret declared. His jog slowed to a pitiful walk. “Just go on without me.”

  Rowan considered it for a moment. He didn’t believe Garret would give much thought to his safety, but in the end, he couldn’t do it. His head was shaking before he opened his mouth.

  “We have to find somewhere to hide,” he said, looking along the front of the surrounding buildings.

  “We’ll get trapped.”

  Rowan knew he was right. Once the dead overtook the area, there was no telling if they’d ever be able to get out unnoticed. “There.” His eyes locked onto the bottom landing of a fire escape. They moved toward it and a closer inspection gave them pause.

  “That thing's going to collapse,” Garret said.

  A hint of the approaching wave of dead-speak tickled Rowan’s ears, and his determination hardened.

  “We’re out of options,” he said. “You first.”

  Rowan centered himself directly below the corroded opening in the bottom landing and then cupped his hands in front of his waist. Garret looked at him and then up at the destination.

  “There’s no strength in my legs.”

  “I don’t care,” Rowan said. “Do you hear that?” They stood silent, staring at one another, and the sounds of the moaning zombie mass grew with every passing second. “This is what we have, so unless you’ve got a better idea, get over here and give me your foot.”

  Garret took a step forward and placed his boot into Rowan’s palms and then laid his hands on his shoulders. He steadied himself and waited.

  “On three,” Rowan said and then started counting without giving them time to think about it. “One…two…three.”

  Rowan drove his hands up and Garret did his best to push off, but the result was something far less than perfect. Garret managed to get one hand onto the edge of the opening in the bottom of the fire escape, but his other hand missed. He was left dangling above Rowan and there was nothing he could do to help him.

  “Pull.”

  Garret didn’t need the direction. He flailed around with his free hand slapping the other side of the opening twice before he was able to latch on. Garret struggled to lift his weight. He pulled with what little strength remained in his arms and shoulders, able to get one of his elbows up to a ninety-degree angle. He forced his arm up ahead of him, sliding it across the rusty, grated metal. He tried to push his other arm over the lip and nearly fell in the process.

  Rowan fluttered back and forth with his arms stretched out as if he might be able to catch Garret if he fell to him. The rising moans clung to the back of his mind, but he couldn’t bring himself to look away from the spectacle above. He was sure if Garret fell and hit the ground, he wouldn’t be able to get up again.

  “Pull up,” Rowan said and felt dumb the moment it left his mouth. “Sorry.”

  Garret managed to get both arms through the gap and onto the floor grate. He was suspended below the chest when he stopped to try to catch his breath. He took one last gulp and then slipped his fingers between the small sections of the grate and pulled. His legs flung from side to side, and then in one swift series of movements he was up through the gap to his waist. He shifted his legs the rest of the way and then rolled onto his back.

  Rowan looked up at him, patiently waiting. The howling calls of dead-speak between the endless moans of the dead rose to a point that suggested they would soon pour into the alleyway between the buildings. Rowan’s patience ran out. “I’m real proud of you,” he said. “How about lending me a hand?”

  Garret sat up, then got on his knees and looked down at Rowan as if only then remembering he was there. Garret’s face was pale, his eyes lost to his surroundings.

  “You’re going to have to lean down,” Rowan said. “I can’t jump that high.” He considered running toward the other end of the alley to see if he could push back the small dumpster blocking the way. The first sign of movement at the near end of the alley changed his mind. “All right, this has to happen now.”

  Rowan didn’t have to look. The shuffling walk told him all he need to know about the new arrivals. Garret slid down on his stomach and moved forward until he was hanging out of the opening in the platform, down to his waist. Rowan wasn’t convinced it was enough and his first running jump proved him correct.

  “Come on.”

  Garret followed the shout by leaning out farther, nearly falling in the process. He reached back and held onto the grating with one hand while extending as far down as he could with the other. Rowan stared down the coming wave of putrid flesh. They were packing into the alley, shoulder to shoulder, already four rows deep. His time was nearly up.

  Rowan rushed toward the advancing dead and spun on his heels. He pushed his legs to move faster, launching himself at the last possible moment. Rowan reached as high as his arm would go without pulling his shoulder out of the socket. His palm slapped against Garret’s, and the two grabbed hold a split second before their fingers slid between one another.

  Garret’s grunt told Rowan everything he needed to know. He didn’t have the strength to hold Rowan and he could feel the grip slipping the moment they locked hands. Rowan reached up, grabbed Garret’s wrist with his free hand, and started to climb. Garret was yelling something, but the sound of the dead pushing in underneath them blocked out everything else. His body slid forward as he and Rowan fell.

  Garret’s waist began to slip through the gap in the landing as Rowan pulled one final time, grabbing the lip of the opening with one hand and Garret’s belt with the other. The two dangled from the opening, Rowan by his hand and Garret by his legs. Garret managed to spread his feet wide enough to hold his place before he slipped through the gap, and the move saved him from the fall. Rowan shouted out instructions. />
  “You reach back.” He wasn’t going to be able to get through the opening with Garret wedged in the center. “I’ll push you.”

  Rowan risked a look below and regretted it the second he took in the view. Several figures swayed beneath them, each reaching out for the living, chomping at the air for a taste. He refocused on Garret as the pain in his shoulders neared a breaking point. He pulled up against Garret using his belt as grip. Garret flung his arms back on either side, taking several swipes at the bottom of the grate. His viewpoint was unavoidable and the reflection of the waiting dead highlighted the whites of his eyes.

  It took three swipes before Garret got his hands on the rusty metal. His hold and Rowan’s push gave him enough momentum to pull himself back through the opening. He quickly got to his knees and grabbed Rowan’s arm with both hands. The death-defying routine ended with one good pull, bringing Rowan up onto the landing. The two sat on their knees looking down on the growing mob of zombies below. Rowan caught enough of his breath to get up on his feet.

  “We have to climb.”

  Garret’s eyes ran the length of the raggedy contraption to the top of the building, another three stories above them. He nodded and managed to stand up on his own.

  “After you.”

  The climb to the top of the building was slow going. Garret’s strength was spent and Rowan’s was getting worse by the minute. Rowan poked his head up over the side of the roof, scanning the lay of the land. The rooftop was devoid of movement and flat as a board. In fact, the clean surface was an odd finding in a city filled with deserted hiding spots.

  “I have to rest,” Garret said once they stepped up onto the roof. “I’m about to fall over.” He sat down where he was and lay back on the black tar surface.

  Rowan walked to the edge of the roof, looking down on the street in front of the building. The sight was terrifying. The dead filled the road, crammed from one side to the other. It took him a moment to realize that only a small portion had been focused on his and Garret’s ascension. The rest of the horde was moving north. He waved Garret over.