Children of the Apocalypse: Mega Boxed Set

by Baileigh Higgins

He left once the girls retired to bed, and rejoined his group. Anthony, his second-in-command, cleared his throat when he returned. “Everything all right, Boss?”

  “Everything’s fine, Ant.”

  “Can I ask you something, Boss?”

  “Spit it out, Ant,” Jay growled, his patience fast running out.

  “Why don’t you just take her? The girl, I mean?” Anthony asked. “It’d be easy.”

  “Too easy,” Jay said. “I want to know where they’re going. Who they’re looking for. Once we’ve established that, I’ll make my move.”

  Anthony nodded. “I see.”

  “Besides, I left her a little present, and I want to see how she reacts to it.” Jay walked toward his tent, waving goodnight to those who were still awake. His last thought as he rolled into his blankets was of the surprise on her face when Cat saw him again. “I’m coming for you, Kitten. Soon.”

  ***

  The next day, Jay watched with grim amusement as the girls packed up and fled their overnight home with haste. He had no doubt they’d seen his message, the boot print on the grave. “Run, little piggies, for the big bad wolf is coming for you.”

  He picked up his radio. “Anthony, come in.”

  “Yeah, boss?”

  “They’re heading East on Cedar Lane. Don’t lose them.”

  “Got it, Boss.”

  Jay followed Cat but took care to hang far behind. He relied on regular tips from his men to keep him going in the right direction. Finally, he topped out on a rise and stopped, his eyes fixed on the girl’s truck parked in front of the civic center.

  He got out and moved closer on foot, his every move calm and studied. A hunter by nature, he knew how to stalk his prey without being seen. From a vantage point on top of a carport roof, he watched Cat and Lisa move in on the civic center while Nadia stayed behind to watch their vehicle.

  He watched Nadia through narrowed eyes, each nerve in his body alight with hatred. He itched to storm forward and put an end to her there and then. I can snap her neck and be gone before the others realize a thing.

  But, no. The time for that wasn’t today. He wanted to make her suffer, and a broken neck would not be enough to quench his thirst for revenge. Nadia’s death had to be painful, and for that he needed time. Time and opportunity.

  So, Jay waited while Cat and Lisa did their thing. Now more than ever, he was convinced they were looking for someone. Who?

  Not long after that, things went South with gunshots ringing out and what sounded like an explosion vibrating through the earth. Jay jumped off the carport roof and edged closer, determined to find out what was going on. He got his chance when Nadia stormed away to help her friends.

  A horde of flaming zombies was chasing after the fleeing girls with Nadia laying down cover fire. Two teenage boys had added themselves to the mix, and he wondered briefly where they fit in. He forgot about them when he saw his chance and whipped out his knife. A quick stab ensured that both the back tires were useless before he retraced his steps. It wouldn’t do to slash just one.

  Much as he wanted Cat by his side, he did not intend to make it easy for her. Her position as queen had to be earned, and if she didn’t make it, so be it. He’d find someone else to take her place, loath though he was to lose her.

  He watched with a faint smile as the girls realized their tenuous position, all hope of salvaging their ride and possessions fading away. He wondered what they’d do. Attempt to fight it out or run.

  When they set off past him with the boys in the lead, he had his answer. It was the smart thing to do in any case. With each second that passed, the area became more and more crowded with infected.

  He made his way back to his own ride and jumped on the radio. “Anthony, come in.”

  “Yes, Boss. I’m here.”

  “They’re coming your way on foot with two teen boys in the lead. Don’t lose them. No matter what.”

  “Roger that.”

  Jay smiled to himself as he considered his next move. This cat and mouse game was fun, but at some point, it had to end. “See you soon, Kitten. See you real soon.”

  Chapter 8 - Cat

  Ralph took the lead, climbing over the gate with the agility of a monkey. Sam and Cat followed, but Lisa had difficulty. Whatever guts had carried her this far despite her injuries, was wearing off, and she was pale-faced and sweaty, her breathing harsh to the ears.

  “Are you okay, Lisa?” Cat asked once she and Nadia helped her to climb over.

  “I don’t feel so good,” Lisa answered. “I need to lie down.”

  “Good idea,” Cat said, looking at Sam and Ralph. “Do you have a spare bed for her?”

  Ralph nodded. For once he didn’t look uncaring. Sympathy shone in his gaze as he took in Lisa’s state. “Sure. She can have Mum’s room.”

  “We don’t use it,” Sam added. “It’s nice and comfy. She’ll like it there.”

  “Thank you, Sam, Ralph,” Cat replied. “It means a lot to us.”

  “No worries, let me show you the way,” Sam said, leading them up the driveway where he slid open the garage door. Once inside, he locked it and led them to an interconnecting door that opened into the kitchen. This too he locked the moment they were inside. “Better safe than sorry, Mum always said.”

  Cat had the feeling that Mum had said a lot of thing, and wherever she was, her sons had not forgotten. With Cat and Nadia on each side, they managed to carry Lisa toward the bedroom.

  The interior of Ralph and Sam’s house was a surprise. Not only was it neat and tidy, but it looked lived in. Homey was the word that came to Cat’s mind. It was apparent they had no electricity. Candles in holders decorated the rooms for lighting, and the kitchen had a gas stove with a cast iron kettle on top of it.

  They reached the main bedroom, and Sam was right. It was lovely. A big four-poster bed dominated the space, and the bedding was all soothing lavender and dove grey tones.

  They laid Lisa down with a sense of relief. It was far from over, though. She was hurting quite severely, and Cat needed to figure out the extent of her injuries.

  “Do you have a first-aid kit?” she asked.

  “Sure, I’ll fetch it,” Ralph answered before running off.

  “Sam, could you be a dear and get Lisa a glass of water, please?”

  “Okay.”

  When Sam disappeared, Cat turned to Lisa. “How are you feeling? What’s hurting?”

  “My head,” Lisa groaned, squeezing her eyes shut. “It feels like it’s about to burst, and my ribs feel broken. I fell pretty hard. Everything is sore.”

  “Well, let’s start at the beginning then,” Cat said. With a soft touch, she massaged Lisa head until she found a lump the size of her hand. “Ouch, that must hurt.”

  “It does,” Lisa replied with a wince.

  Sam arrived with a bottle of water, and Ralph walked in carrying a first-aid kit almost as big as himself. Cat opened it and was gratified to find it well-stocked.

  She wet a wad of gauze and pressed it to Lisa’s bump before winding a bandage around it to keep it in place. Continuing onward, she determined that Lisa also suffered from a sprained left wrist and two broken ribs. After securely bandaging both injuries, she carried on. A few nasty bruises showed up on her arms and legs, and a couple of abrasions required disinfecting.

  Satisfied with her handiwork, Cat propped Lisa up in the bed and fed her a couple of painkillers. Leaving the water within easy reach, she asked. “There, is that better?”

  “Much better, thank you, Cat. I think I’ll have a rest now,” Lisa said, her eyes drifting shut.

  Cat patted her forearm. “Have a good sleep, and shout if you need anything. Drink lots of water.”

  “Okay,” Lisa said with a faint smile. Without further ado, she nodded off.

  Cat stood up and hustled everyone out, closing the door with a soft click. “Let’s leave her be, people.”

  “Is she okay?” Nadia asked.

  “I think so, apa
rt from the concussion,” Cat replied.

  “Concussion?” Nadia cried looking alarmed.

  “It’s all right. I think it’s a mild one, but without further tests, it’s hard to say. The ribs are painful and will take a while to heal, as will her wrist, but it’s her head I’m most worried about,” Cat continued. “Still, if she gets lots of rest, no bright light, no stress to trigger the symptoms, and plenty of water, she should recover soon.”

  “Oh, thank God,” Nadia said, looking relieved. “What now?”

  Cat looked at Ralph. “That’s up to our hosts, I believe. Is there somewhere we can sleep or do we share with Lisa?”

  “Do you mind sharing?” Ralph asked. “I can organize two mattresses and bedding for you.”

  “That’s perfect. How about supper?” she asked. “Do you have any food?”

  “We do. Enough for a few days,” Ralph said. “As for the bathroom situation, we have a Jojo tank outside that collects rainwater. There’s a bucket next to the toilet for flushing and washing but use it sparingly. It’s been a dry season.”

  “Thanks,” Cat said, meaning every word.

  “Would you like a cup of tea?” Sam asked in such a formal tone that Cat couldn’t help but smile.

  “I sure would. Lead the way,” Cat said, exchanging amused looks with Nadia.

  Sam seated them at the kitchen table and proceeded to make tea with Ralph’s help. Cat took the time to take in a few details, such as the iron bars welded over the windows.

  “Did you do that?” she asked of Ralph.

  “Yes, ma’am. Right after we got here. I didn’t want the zombies to be able to get in through the windows.”

  “How old are you?” she asked, astonished. “And how long have you been here?”

  He sighed, and Cat detected a hint of pain beneath his usually stoic expression. “I don’t like to talk about it.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry,” Cat said.

  “It’s all right. I’ll tell you anyway, but first I want to know what you were doing at the civic center. That place is a death trap.”

  “I was looking for my mom,” Cat said. “I haven’t seen her since the beginning of all this, and when I went home, I found a note telling me she’d gone there.”

  “So, you’re also looking for your mum!” Sam cried, spilling tea as he carried two cups over to Cat and Nadia.

  “Yes, Sam. I am. I miss her very much,” Cat replied with a soft smile.

  “I miss my mum too,” Sam said, turning glum. Nadia reached over to give his shoulder a squeeze, and he smiled again. “She’s still alive. I know it.”

  “I hope so, Sam,” Cat said.

  “Oh, she is, and I know where she is. I might even know where your mom is,” Ralph replied.

  “What? How’s that possible?” Cat asked.

  “Because we were all in the civic center together. Me, Sam, our mum, probably yours too,” Ralph said, settling into his seat as he relayed his tale with a somber expression.

  “Go on,” Cat said.

  “When the apocalypse first began, we were in after-school care because our mum worked full days. The teachers phoned the police and were told to go to the civic center, so they loaded us in a mini-bus and took us there,” Ralph said.

  “It was scary!” Sam added.

  “Yes, it was. When we got there, a lot of other people had also been told to go there. It was pretty crowded, but we managed to find our mum. For a few days, everything was all right. The police guarded the gates, and there was a lot of food in the center because of some charity drive a week before,” Ralph continued.

  “We thought we were safe, but then…” Sam added, his eyes growing moist. “Then the food ran out, and people started fighting.”

  Ralph reached out and hugged his brother. “It was horrible. People were screaming and shouting, babies were crying. That’s when a few of the police officers went to look for food along with a couple of dads. They came back, or at least, half of them did. One of them had been bitten but didn’t say anything. You can imagine the rest. You saw the center.”

  Sam shuddered, and silent tears ran down his face. “It was terrible. All the biting and eating, people dying. Mum got us out, but we got separated.”

  “So, how do you know she got away or where she is?” Cat asked in soft tones.

  “We saw a man force her and a bunch of other people into a bus. They were shouting about a quarantine zone in Queenstown. That’s where they went, I’m sure of it,” Ralph said.

  “What about you?” Nadia asked.

  “When the bus left, it was just the zombies and us, so I grabbed my brother and brought him back home. It’s safe here, as long as we keep quiet. The walls are high, the gate is strong, and we had a lot of extra steel in the garage. That’s what I used on the windows. My friend’s dad taught us how to weld one summer.”

  “How old are you?” Cat asked again.

  “I’m fifteen, and Sam is thirteen.”

  “Wow. I can’t believe you’ve made it all this time on your own,” Cat marveled.

  “We’re fast,” Sam said with a smile wreathing his face once more. “Like ninjas.”

  “And the petrol bombs?” Cat asked with a raised eyebrow.

  “I googled it before the electricity shut off. I googled a bunch of stuff I thought might help. Now I use the library. There’s no one in there, and if you keep quiet, you can slip in and out without alerting the zombies in the admin area.”

  “Is that what you were doing at the civic center today?” Cat asked.

  “Yup.”

  “I guess I’ve ruined it for you now,” she said.

  “Pretty much,” Ralph said with a straight face. “But you didn’t know better, so I’ll let it pass.”

  “Thanks,” Cat said, amazed by all she’d heard. “So what now?”

  “Now we eat and sleep, and tomorrow, you’re taking us to Queenstown.”

  “Um…okay,” Cat said, exchanging looks with Nadia who shrugged.

  “It’s the least you can do. We saved your lives, after all, and you’ve spoiled our weekly library run now.” He spat on his palm and stuck out his hand. “So, do we have a deal?”

  “I guess so,” Cat said, staring at his hand before copying him with reluctance. “Deal.”

  Chapter 9 - Lisa

  After Cat treated her injuries, Lisa drifted off into a deep, dreamless sleep. It was blissful. As long as she lay still, her body didn’t hurt too much, and the painkillers were doing their job. She woke around ten that evening to find Cat and Nadia in an in-depth discussion regarding a trip to Queenstown. “What are you two on about?”

  Two surprised faces turned her way.

  “You’re up?” Cat asked. “How do you feel?”

  “I’m awake, and I’m fine. Now, spill the beans.”

  “Well, we’re discussing a possible trip to Queenstown,” Cat replied. “Or, to be honest, a definite trip. I kind of promised.”

  “What on earth for?”

  Cat explained, repeating Ralph’s story for Lisa’s benefit and leaving nothing out. Once she’d finished, Lisa asked, “And you trust these boys?”

  “I do,” Cat said, and Nadia echoed her.

  “I’m sure they’re perfectly nice kids, but what about that boot print? The two slashed tires? Somebody is out to get us, but I don’t believe it’s either of them.”

  ” You don’t think this whole Queenstown thing is a ruse to get us somewhere we can be ambushed?” Lisa asked.

  “I don’t think so,” Cat replied. “Why would they go to all that trouble when they could do it here?”

  “I guess so,” Lisa replied. “So, what’s the plan?”

  “We need a vehicle, fuel, and supplies. Ralph says he knows of a few safe places we can check tomorrow.”

  “Great. I’m coming with you,” Lisa said.

  “No, you’re not. You are staying here while we go out,” Cat said with a cocked eyebrow. “You’re in no shape to run around town with a bunch of
zombies on the loose.”

  “You guys need me,” Lisa protested, pushing her body upright. A stabbing pain punched through her ribs, and she gasped.

  This caused Cat to jump up and rush over, pressing Lisa back down. Lisa subsided with a huff. “We’ll see about that.”

  “Now, now, don’t be difficult. Facts are facts, and the fact is that you’re too sick to come with us tomorrow. So, just relax, and drink your tea. I got you something to eat too.”

  “I’m not hungry,” Lisa said, suddenly feeling ill at the mere mention of food.

  “Just try a bite or two. You need your strength,” Cat coaxed.

  “Fine.” Lisa allowed Cat to feed her a few bites of noodles in spaghetti sauce and a cup of sweet tea.

  “There, see? That wasn’t so bad,” Cat said with a triumphant smile. Her smile faltered when Lisa’s lips pinched together, and she grew pale. “What’s wrong?”

  A wave of nausea hit Lisa like a tidal wave, and her stomach lurched. By pure reflex, she bent over the side of the bed as the contents of her stomach came up in a rush, splattering the carpet. She was left gasping for breath as stabbing pains shot through her torso, the effects of her broken ribs making themselves felt.

  “Oh, my God. What’s wrong? I’m so sorry,” Cat cried as she ran around, wetting a towel to press to Lisa’s face.

  The damp cloth felt good against her skin, and Lisa fell back onto her cushions while she waited for the pain to pass. Her breathing was shallow, and she focused on calming down and taking deeper breaths.

  Nadia had likewise grabbed a cloth and was scrubbing the carpet, while Cat coaxed a few sips of water and more painkillers down Lisa’s throat. These stayed down, at least, and after a while, the pills kicked in, easing the hurt.

  With the carpet and Lisa taken care of, Nadia placed an empty wastebasket next to the bed. “In case you need to hurl again.”

  The two girls sat on the edge of the bed, anxiously waiting for Lisa to recover enough to say something. Finally, she blinked. “I’m okay, guys. Just a little nauseous, that’s all.”

  “Are you sure?” Cat asked.

  “Yup, but I guess I’m not going to be of much use to you guys, after all,” she said with a frown. It pained her to feel so useless, to have her friends risk their lives without her by their sides. We really are like the Musketeers now. All for one, I guess.