by Siara Brandt
She ran. Away from the car. Away from him. Away from the lights. She feared they might draw zombies. There was no way she was going to let herself get lost in a cornfield in the middle of the night so she kept along the edge at all times and started backtracking her way to the inn.
The car lights suddenly went out and she was surrounded by darkness. Several times she stopped to listen and to look back, but she heard no sounds except Penndle crashing around in the corn. She saw no movement inside or outside of the car.
As she walked through the foggy darkness, she felt terribly alone. And afraid. And vulnerable. But she knew she had to keep going.
She suddenly stopped and remained motionless. A sickening fear gripped her and seemed to paralyze her muscles as she heard Penndle’s awful shrieks somewhere in the darkness behind her.
But he wasn’t the only one in trouble. One second she was alone, and the next she was surrounded by zombies.
She saw their dark figures emerge from the fog ahead of her and to her right. She could hear snarling in the corn to her left. That was the moment when she knew she wouldn’t make it.
She heard the motorcycle coming down the road, saw the single headlight. And Eli who brought the motorcycle to a skidding, sliding halt right beside her. He held out his hand, only moments before she heard the zombies burst out of the corn beside her.
And then she heard the two most wonderful words in the human language. “Get on.”
Epilogue
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“I’m ready.” Ailin straightened and looked up at Eli.
“It’s a good day for this.” He stepped behind her, put his arms around her waist and rested his chin on the top of her head.
She gazed up at her house, a little sad to be leaving. This was where she had fallen in love with Eli. He gave her a kiss on the top of her head. This time it was not for show, or for someone else’s benefit. This time it was given in a sincerely affectionate way.
The Clunes had decided to stay at Ailin’s house, along with Edmina and Bevanne, Tessa, Josiah, Loch and Nilah. And the little dog of course, that Bobby had named Mr. Snuggles. There was a board set up in Willow Grove where people could leave information about their whereabouts. Bobby and Caleb Sefton had been re-united with their parents who, having no better place to go, had decided to stay with the group as well.
There were more than twenty people in the group now. They had had some close calls over the past months, but because they worked together, they had become a capable, close-knit group. A team, as Eli called it. And because Eli was such a strong leader, they had endured. Since there were so many mouths to feed, the food had only lasted a couple of months, even with rationing. Ailin could never turn anyone away who was hungry. In fact, they had taken in a few more people. Two soldiers from Eli’s old command had even shown up one day.
Part of Ailin’s family had found their way to her house, including her mother and her brother, Bevanne’s husband. They had brought harrowing tales of their escape from the cities.
But if calamity sometimes brings out the worst in some people, in others it brings out the best. The human spirit is resilient. There were terrible atrocities in some instances, but acts of charity and outright heroism were common. As people began to build civilization up again, they had learned some valuable lessons. They had to work hard to survive. And they had to work together.
Places of refuge were set up by survivors. More and more, people were bringing word of a refuge center in Cedar Ridge where, reportedly, they had discovered a cure. Whether there really was a cure, or whether the plague had to run its natural course, no one knew for sure. For the members of the group it was important to find out if there really was a cure. Some of the people had had the vaccinations, so if they should come down with the disease, it was important they had hope.
This would be the first time they were all leaving the safety of Ailin’s house togther. They had gas and food enough to make it to Cedar Ridge and then to survive for two weeks after that just in case it turned out to be an empty rumor.
Ailin gazed up at the cloudless sky. Spring was still a long way off, but she was looking forward to sharing it with Eli. In spite of all they had been through, Spring offered the hope of a new beginning.
Everyone had gathered in the yard, confident in the knowledge that they had each other’s backs and that they worked best as a team. Their plan was carefully thought out. Whatever was out there, they would deal with it the best way they could.
Two hours later, five vehicles stopped in front of a high chain link fence. Ailin, with Mr. Snuggles in her lap, stared up at a sign that read: HOPE HERE.
There was a man on the other side of the fence dressed in military pants and a black sweater. At his signal, the gate swung open. He nodded a greeting at the people getting out of the vehicles and strode forward to clasp hands with Eli.
“My name is Greyson Kincade. And this is my wife, Hanna. Welcome.”
For Grey and Hanna’s story, read
Blood Scourge: Project Deadrise, also by Siara Brandt.
Table of Contents
Also by Siara Brandt
Copyright
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Epilogue
