She was wasting away in front of his eyes.
The infection was too strong for her to fight.
Alex hardly dared to leave her side, afraid that if he did, she’d slip away. An entire day and night passed without any change for the better. Every time he looked at her, she was a little weaker, a little frailer.
Finally, he was forced to accept the inevitable. Unless he could get her the care she needed, Amy was going to die.
Alex jumped up, ready to scream with frustration. His sister was dying, and there was nothing he could do about it. At the top of the stairs, the undead remained tireless in their efforts to break down the door.
Twice, he’d had to reinforce the barrier to ensure they couldn’t break through, and the constant noise was driving him insane. “Three days. Three fucking days and they’re still there.”
He paced up and down, refusing to give in to the fatigue that dragged at his limbs. He was hungry, and tired, and thirsty, but none of that mattered. Not when his sister lay dying in front of his eyes. “This can’t be happening. I have to do something. Anything.”
“Alex?” Amy whispered, her voice so soft he could barely hear her.
Alex rushed to her side. “Yes, Sis?”
“It’s not your fault. You can’t blame yourself.”
Alex shook his head. “It is my fault. We should’ve gone with Dylan, Tara, and Saul. Instead, I made us stay, and look what happened.”
Amy reached out her hand and gripped his, her touch as gentle as her smile. “You didn’t know. How could you know?”
“You’re my responsibility, Amy.”
“Not anymore. You’ve done all you could, and I love you for it,” Amy said. “I’ll always love you. Remember that.”
Alex leaned forward, alarmed. “No, Amy. You can’t give up. Fight, damn it!”
She sighed. “I can’t. I’m done, Alex. It’s time for me to go. Mom and Dad are waiting for me.”
“I’m begging you, Sis. Fight. Do it for me,” Alex said, crushing her delicate fingers between his. “I can’t live without you.”
Amy blinked and replied with a touch of her old spirit. “Of course you can, you stupid man. But, if it makes you happy, I’ll hang around a little bit longer.”
Alex nodded. “That’s all I ask.”
Her eyes drifted shut, and she said. “I’m gonna sleep now. You should too.”
“Okay,” Alex replied, though he had no intention at all of sleeping until she got better. But, despite his best intentions, exhaustion won out, and he fell into a deep slumber.
***
Outside the house, Gloria Bernstein milled about on unsteady feet. Her clothes hung loose on her body, torn and stained with the blood of her victims. Her hair was a mess, and the expensive gold rings on her left hand had been ripped away along with her fingers.
If Gloria could have looked in a mirror, she would’ve been shocked. All her life, she’d been vain. Only the best clothes would do, and she never set foot outside her house without every hair in its place.
It was the reason she’d disliked her daughter-in-law so much. The woman had no sense of style. No class. She wasn’t good enough for Gloria’s only son. Then again, nobody would ever be good enough for Kevin. He was her baby, her little boy.
It was too bad that he fell ill, and when he turned on her, she couldn’t believe he’d hurt her. It proved to be her downfall, and now she was just one of the crowd — another zombie in a thousand.
Gloria would’ve hated that if she could still use her brain. But she couldn’t. Now she waited with the endless patience of the dead for the survivors inside the house to emerge. They were there. She knew they were because the rest of the horde knew it. She wasn’t strong enough to push her way to the front. Instead, she lingered on the edges of the crowd, hoping for scraps.
Then a flash of light caught her attention, and she turned around in time to see a minivan pass by on the road. It was heading back the same way she’d come. Fort Knox. Galvanized by the thought of fresh meat, she ran after the vehicle, determined to catch it. While she might not comprehend what the shiny metal box was, she knew it meant people, and people equaled food.
A couple of others joined her. They, too, had spotted the car. As more and more followed, the horde began to move. Its attention shifted from the silent house to its new prey. As one, they streamed down the highway, a shapeless mass intent on one thing alone: Food.
Chapter 19 - Tara
Tara lowered herself into the chair Ethan offered with care. After a short examination, he had confirmed her suspicions. She was suffering from a mild concussion and two fractured ribs. There wasn’t much he could do for either injury besides strap her chest and give her a cold compress.
During this time, she’d given him an abbreviated version of the events that led to her capture. She also told him about Dylan and Saul. Judging from his expression, her story didn’t come as much of a surprise to him.
“Here, drink this,” Ethan said, handing her a glass of water and a couple of tablets. “It will help with the pain.”
“Won’t these make me drowsy?” she asked.
“No, it’ll just take the edge off, nothing more,” he said, sitting down across from her.
“Thanks,” she replied, taking the medication with a sip of the water. “I appreciate your kindness. Your friends aren’t exactly the welcoming kind.”
“They’re not my friends,” Ethan said in abrupt tones. “I fell into the same trap you did.”
“How long ago was that?”
“A couple of weeks, maybe more,” he said with a shrug. “It’s hard to keep track.”
“I’m sorry.”
“That’s okay. Now that you’re here, I can put my plan into effect.”
“Why do you need me?”
“You’ve got a Humvee, and I assume you were heading to a safe place before you got caught. I have neither.”
“We were on our way to Fort Detrick. As of a couple of days ago, it was still operational,” Tara said. “It’s as safe a place as any in these crazy times.”
“Fort Detrick? I find that funny.”
“Funny?”
“Before this,” Ethan said, waving a hand at his surroundings, “I was on my way to Fort Knox looking for a friend. I got sidetracked and ended up going in a different direction. That’s when this lot got hold of me.”
“You’re a lucky man, Dr. Hayes,” Tara said. “Two days ago, Fort Knox was overrun.”
Ethan’s face grew pale, and he stared at her for a couple of seconds. “Are you sure?”
“Positive. My friends and I barely escaped, and as far as I know, very few others did,” Tara said. “I’m sorry, but your friend is likely dead.”
Ethan looked away, his expression strained. “I see. Thank you for the news. Now, let’s get to business.”
Tara understood his need to carry on. Grieving could come later. “Of course.”
“Right now, it’s just me and one other girl, Mara.” Ethan sighed. “The rest are either rotten to the core, or cowards willing to go along with whatever Seth and Lila decree. Even James.”
“James?”
“He was a victim like us, captured in a raid. They tossed him into the stocks and made him fight his friends,” Ethan explained.
“Did he?”
“He killed them. Every single one. Now he’s the last man standing. From what you’ve told me, he’ll become one of them if he wins tonight.”
“I can’t believe that,” Tara exclaimed. “He killed his own people?”
“Believe it. Fear of death can bring out the worst in people, and he wasn’t a shining specimen to begin with.”
“Is that what they’ll do to my friends? Make them fight to the death?”
“Yes. Once they’re in the ring, one, or more likely both of them will die,” Ethan said. “Lila will make sure of it. She’s a cruel woman who delights in causing pain.”
“Aren’t they worried about drawing zombies w
ith all the noise?” Tara said. “And where do they get their electricity?”
“They’ve blocked off most of the streets leading here and cleared out the surrounding buildings. That coupled with the fence makes them feel safe. Their power comes from a couple of generators in the basement. They think they’re invincible.”
“It will never last.”
“No, I’m afraid not. One of these days the undead will find us, and it’ll all be over,” Ethan said. “All it would take is for one of them to get drunk and fire off a few pot shots.”
“Then we’d better make sure that doesn’t happen,” Tara said, leaning forward. “Tell me about your plan.”
“It’s simple. The group always celebrates after a big score, and a Humvee definitely counts as one,” Ethan said, producing a vial of clear liquid. “The booze will flow freely tonight like it always does, but this time, it will be drugged.”
“Are you certain it will work?” she asked, studying the vial.
He nodded. “I’m sure. It’s a concoction of my own design, and alcohol will augment its effect. They’ll be unconscious within thirty minutes or less of ingestion.”
“They can’t taste it?” Tara pressed, looking for a flaw in their plan. “And what if one of them doesn’t drink?”
“It’s tasteless, and Mara will mix it into everything, even the water. Once they’re all asleep, she’ll call us, and we’re out of here.”
“Are you sure you can trust her?”
“Enough to know she’s on our side. After everything Lila put her through, she’ll gladly slit their throats and watch as they bleed out,” Ethan replied.
“That bad, huh?” Tara said. “How will you get the mixture to her?”
“I’m allowed a certain amount of freedom. It’s you they don’t trust,” Ethan said, tucking the vial back into his pocket. “Just make sure you’re ready when the time comes.”
“What’s my role in all of this?” Tara asked.
“Once they’re all knocked out, I’ll grab your weapons and the keys to the Humvee. I know where they keep all their loot. When I’ve got everything, I’ll meet you by the entrance. Your job is to free your friends and meet me there.”
“How do I know you won’t leave us behind?”
“You’ll just have to trust me,” Ethan said.
“Trust is a scarce commodity these days,” Tara said.
“Maybe, but it’s not like you have much choice, do you?”
Tara remained silent for a few seconds, thinking it through. “You’re right, of course. This is my only shot. I’m in.”
“I’m glad to hear it.”
“I just hope this works.”
“It will. Have faith,” Ethan said, walking toward the door and knocking. The guard opened up, and after a brief conversation, allowed the doctor to leave.
While Ethan was gone, Tara examined the infirmary. Tucked away in a cupboard, she found a pair of scissors and a scalpel. She pocketed both. Not long after that, Ethan returned.
“And?” Tara asked, her stomach a bundle of nerves.
“It’s done.”
“What do we do now?”
“Now we wait.”
Chapter 20 - Mara
Mara stood in a darkened corner, watching as the group prepared for the events of the night. A crude ring was set up on the far side of the assembly hall, ringed with plastic chairs. It was made up of old beams held together by rusted nails and wire. Dried blood lay in splotches on the floor, ignored by everyone. Tonight, fresh blood would splatter the tiles, much to the crowd’s amusement.
Lila’s dogs, a trio of dogs lay slumbering in their cages. They were healthy specimens with bulging muscles and shiny coats. They were also brutal killers who answered only to one master: Lila.
Mara searched the crowd until her eyes found the woman in question. Lila was laughing at something Seth had said, her head tipped back with abandon. Her ebony hair cascaded down her back, and her teeth gleamed in the low light cast by the numerous lamps on the walls. She was a beautiful woman, but hard. Deep lines marred her full mouth, and her glittering eyes missed nothing.
A surge of hatred swelled up within Mara’s chest. It swirled through her veins until she wanted to scream with rage until her throat bled. Her mind was filled with visions of the night she first met Lila, each moment etched in her memories with awful clarity. One hand lifted to feel her face, and her fingertips lingered on the raised scar tissue that marred one-half of her features.
The skin felt alien to the touch. Thick and rubbery. The corner of her mouth twisted downward, leaking droplets of spit. She dabbed at it with the handkerchief she never went without. It had become a habit. Just like she’d grown used to seeing with only one eye. But she’d never grow used to what she saw every time she looked in a mirror. Half-woman, half-monster. Unable to resist, she gave in and allowed the past enfold her in its chilly embrace.
***
Seth found her scrounging for food in a nearby supermarket. His eyes had lit up at the sight of her rich auburn hair, green eyes, and lithe figure. Barely twenty-one, she was a looker despite not having had a bath for several days. He wasted no time trying to convince her to join his group.
She should’ve listened to her instincts, to the jangling alarm that went off in her head despite his wide smile and smooth words. His fellow raiders didn’t inspire much confidence either. They looked cruel and heartless. The strong preying on the weak. But she dismissed her fears, seduced by the thought of not being alone anymore. On her own, she wouldn’t last very long. That much she knew for sure.
Shouldering her bag of meager supplies, she followed them back to their base at the school. Along the way, Seth never left her side, and she soon relaxed in his company. Her worries faded into the background as she basked in the warmth of his gaze. He was a handsome man, and it’d had been a long time since she felt desired. And he wanted her. That much was clear in the way his eyes lingered on her full figure and bottom lip. In the way his hands lingered on the small of her back when he guided her across a patch of strewn rubble.
When they reached the school, she hesitated. “Are you sure your people will accept me?”
“Of course, I am,” he said. “I’m their leader, after all.”
She nodded but didn’t move.
“Don’t be afraid,” he said, coaxing her into the yard. “You’ll love it here. I’m sure of it.”
Mara smiled at him, reassured by his words. Maybe this was a new beginning for her. A fresh start after all the horrors of the apocalypse. “Thanks for bringing me here.”
He winked at her. “It’s my pleasure.”
Seth led the way through the entrance and to the assembly hall where a party was in full swing. There was upwards of fifty people, more than she’d seen together in a long time unless they were dead.
She gawked at the speakers that blared music, and the lights that flashed overhead. “Aren’t you scared of drawing zombies?”
Seth sneered. “Scared of rotters? Never.”
“But, they’re everywhere, and they’re drawn to noise,” Mara protested.
He glanced at her. “Look, sweetheart. You don’t have to be scared anymore. I promise.”
Mara drank in his words. As hard as it was, she desperately needed to believe in something other than death again. “Are you sure?”
“Of course, I am. Now, stop worrying and come meet my friends,” he said, guiding her into the hall.
The crowd roared with approval when they saw Seth, and a bottle of beer was shoved into his hands. He passed it to Mara who took a tentative sip, amazed at the cold brew. She hadn’t had a drink in weeks, especially not a frosty one. Alcohol was the last thing you worried about with the dead beating down your door. Unable to help herself, she tipped her head back and swallowed the entire beer in a few gulps.
Seth whistled. “Thirsty, are we?”
Mara blushed. “A little.”
He tossed her empty bottle into a flaming drum before
handing her another. “There’s more where that came from. Have fun.”
“Thanks,” she said, accepting her second drink.
“Who is this?” a strange man asked, eyeing Mara with a look of open appreciation.
“This is Mara. She’s joining our group,” Seth answered, one hand lingering on her back as if to claim her for his own.
The stranger nodded. “She’s a rare beauty, but what about Lila?”
Seth’s expression darkened. “I can handle Lila.”
The strange man laughed, his head tipped back as he roared with amusement. Finally, he straightened up and said. “Good luck with that, Seth. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
The stranger disappeared back into the crowd, and Mara frowned at his back. “Who’s Lila?”
“She’s nobody. Don’t worry about what Donny said. He’s just jealous.”
“Jealous of what?” Mara asked with a teasing note in her voice.
Seth squeezed her hand. “That I’ve got the prettiest girl in the world all to myself.”
Mara couldn’t help but return his broad smile and allowed him to introduce her to all the people in the hall. The next thirty minutes passed in a blur of new faces and names until she thought her head would explode.
As she finished one beer, another took its place until her veins buzzed from the alcohol. The room began to spin, and she shook her head when Seth pressed a shot glass to her lips. “No, thanks.”
“Oh, come on. Don’t be a spoilsport,” he said, winking at her.
Unable to resist his charm, Mara tossed back the fiery liquid. He offered her another, and another. It didn’t take long for the shots to kick in, and she lost all sense of time and reality.
“Let’s dance!” Seth cried, dragging her into the throng of bodies that crowded the hall. Together, they swayed to the music, limbs intertwined as sweat poured down their skin. Their gyrating hips snaked through the air in a rhythm as old as time, and the lights above pulsed in time to the beat of their hearts. It was both scary and intoxicating.
When Seth leaned down to kiss her, Mara didn’t protest. Instead, she closed her eyes and returned the kiss with wild abandon. Around them, the crowd cheered, but she paid no attention. All that mattered was the absence of fear and loneliness, and the presence of hope. This is like a dream come true.
Rise of the Undead Box Set | Books 1-3 | Apocalypse Z Page 28
