by Jake Bible
"I can't whip the Barrett out and kill Zs with it on the run!" I growl. "You guys are being assholes."
"I don't need it," Froggy Girl says. "I won't hit anything. I can just run and keep up."
"See?" I say. "She can run and keep up."
"Then we're all on the same page," Audrey says. "We go in five. She's on her own and either runs and keeps up or falls behind and gets eaten by Zs."
"Or taken by Doyles for their breeding farm," Froggy Girl says.
That stops us dead like a headless Z. Shit…
"Okay, hold on," Audrey says and takes a deep breath. "Breeding farm?"
"Doyles catch Inezes and use them to make more Doyles," Froggy Girl says. "If a girl baby is born then they grow her until she can carry a Doyle to term. To term? That's what it's called, right?"
"Yes, that's what it's called," Antoinette says.
"Sister meeting," Audrey says.
"Fucking A right, sister meeting," I agree.
We walk to the other side of the roof and huddle close. It's hot and we stink and shit is sweaty, but we lean in, our heads almost touching.
"Breeding farm," Audrey sighs. "Fuck."
"We can't let that shit keep happening," Marcie says.
"No way," Antoinette says.
"Changes the game," I say. "We have a new mission."
"I hear all of that," Audrey says. "But this is the closest we've been to the blind kids. We know Kramer has something to do with them. If we switch our focus now then it could be months, or years, before we catch Kramer's trail again."
"We all hate Kramer," Antoinette says. "But the Doyles have a breeding farm."
"Yeah, I fucking know they have a breeding farm," Audrey snaps. "But we're also talking about a bunch of women that all call themselves Inez."
"No, we killed them," I say. "Shot 'em dead back by the river. These chicks probably ain't Inezes anymore. They're just women."
"Does it fucking matter?" Audrey asks. "What I'm trying to say is what the fuck do we do with these chicks when we save them? Doesn't sound like they're the brightest stars in the sky."
"What does that have to do with anything?" Marcie asks. "We've got ex-cannies back at the Stronghold that aren't rocket scientists."
"One of them is," I say. "Or was. I talked to him. He used to be a rocket scientist. Like for reals. Then Z-Day hit and he had to start eating peoples."
"Really? Who is it?" Antoinette asks.
"You know, that one guy with the red mark on his face," I say.
"Shut the fuck up about the canny rocket scientist," Audrey says. "We vote now. Keep on with the mission as it is or go try to save some stupid bitches that are probably all pregnant and can't be saved anyway."
"Way to sell it," Marcie says.
"Just being realistic," Audrey says. "Say we do find this breeding farm. Say we do kill enough Doyles to get the women out. How many are like full-on pregnant? How many are even going to make the trip to the Stronghold before popping?"
She makes a good point. It's a point Stella would have made, back in the day. But Stella wouldn't have hesitated.
"We save the women," I say. "That's what sisters do. All sisters. We save each other."
"And if one of them, or a few of them, give birth on the way back to the Stronghold?" Audrey asks. "What then? Babies make a lot of fucking noise and noise brings Zs. It also brings crazies and cannies and all the pieces of shit out in the wasteland."
"We deal with that then," I say.
"We deal with that then," Marcie agrees.
"Yep," Antoinette responds and nods.
"Fine," Audrey says without hesitating.
I knew she was gonna agree. No way Audrey would let some Doyles keep a breeding farm. Fuck that shit.
"We need a new plan," Audrey says. "Thoughts?"
"Hey! Froggy Girl!" I call.
Froggy Girl looks over at us, but doesn't get up.
"Come the fuck over here," I say. Probably harsher than I need to, but the bitch needs to get her ass up. She brought up the breeding farm. What? She thinks she can just drop that shit bomb on us and then sit on her ass? More fucking of that shit.
Froggy Girl gets up and walks to us like she's in a daze. If she was planning on keeping up, it sure as fuck don't look like it.
"What?" she asks. Her eyes are checked out. She already thinks she's dead.
"We're gonna save the ladies and the Inezes from the breeding farm," I say. "Right, sisters?"
"Right," they say.
A little of the death leaves Froggy Girl's eyes.
"You are?" she asks. "Why?"
"Because breeding farms are wrong and Doyles need to die for even having one," Audrey says.
"The Inezes said that," Froggy Girl responds. "But we couldn't fight the Doyles. Too many of them and they have all the bullets. So we'd hide."
"That's why they wanted me," I say. "Inez One was gonna use me to take out some Doyles and free the preggers ladies, yeah?"
Froggy Girl shrugs. "Maybe. We just needed a fighter. None of us can fight like you sisters do."
"Not many people can," Audrey says. "So. New plan. Who wants the Barrett?"
"I already have the Barrett," I say.
"Yeah, but only the person that doesn't get captured can keep the Barrett," Audrey says. "No way we let the Doyles get their hands on it."
"Hold the shit on," Marcie says. "Are you saying we let the Doyles get us? Let them capture us and take us to the breeding farm?"
"You know a better way to get there?" Audrey asks.
The smoke has started to get thick and I can hear shit popping as it burns.
"What if they kill us instead of capture us?" Antoinette asks. "They are pretty pissed off."
"They won't kill you," Froggy Girl says. "You're too healthy. They need you. Most of the girls are sick and starving. They give them enough food to give birth then…"
"Jesus," Audrey says. "If there is any guy named Doyle back at the Stronghold, he's gonna have to change his name when we get back."
There's a loud crack and we feel the roof shift.
"Shitfuck," I say. "I'll take the Barrett. I'm the best fighter and almost best shot. You need me to get you out."
"She's the better tracker too," Marcie says, "in case we get separated from her."
"Can you carry a duffel with the rifles?" Audrey asks.
"I have to," I say.
"Don't fuck around, El," Audrey says. "Be real here."
I give her my hard-ass look and she nods.
"Good," she says and grabs a folded duffel bag from her pack.
She tosses it on the ground and none of us need her to tell us what to do. We fill that fucker with all the rifles and pistols and weapons and shit. It's going to be heavy as shitfucking hell, but I can do it. Ain't got a choice.
"Where's the breeding farm?" I ask Froggy Girl as I test the weight of the duffel bag. Ugh. "In that sports complex?"
"No," Froggy Girl says. "It's a real farm. A ranch north of here. They don't keep the women with all the Doyles or bad things happen."
"No shit," Audrey says.
A louder crack and the part of the roof we're standing on starts to buckle. There's smoke and a lot of heat coming up through the tarpaper and shit.
The sisters toss me all of their gear. I stuff as much as I think I can carry into one pack then set that on top of the duffel bag. I'm gonna be sore tomorrow. That's something normal people say, right? Right.
Audrey pulls her knife from her belt and frowns at it.
"We show up down there with even these and they'll shoot the shit out of us," Audrey says. "We have to look weak and beaten. That's how we get taken to the breeding farm."
"Yes, yes," Froggy Girl says. "That's how."
More cracking and some flames come up through the roof. The sisters give me their knives. Damn. They're going in naked.
"We'll go down the side," Audrey says. "There's a drain pipe that looks strong enough. It's right where they'll see
us." She pauses and gives me her hard ass look. "You'll have to wait up here until we're all gone then get off this roof and follow fast."
I tap my head. "Already thought of that," I say. "I'll get down. And I'll keep up. No worries, sugar bumps."
"You are one crazy chick," Audrey says and smiles.
She hugs me. Marcie hugs me. Antoinette gives me a huge hug which cracks my back and feels great. Froggy Girl just smiles at me and follows the others as they walk to the corner of the roof where the drain pipe is.
"You take the shots you need, but wait until you see us make our move before you help get us out of there," Audrey says as she hooks a leg over the edge of the roof. There are shouts down below from the Doyles like right away. "You hear me, El? Don't jump the gun. You'll know when we're ready."
"Me? Jump the gun?" I laugh. "Come on."
They laugh too. Sisters like to laugh.
Then Audrey is gone, followed by Antoinette. Marcie waits until Froggy Girl is over the ledge then turns to me as I secure the gear pack to my back and heft the duffel bag.
"Make sure Charlie knows how much I care for him," Marcie says. She hooks her leg over. "Just in case."
"He knows," I say.
"Just in case," she repeats. "Okay?"
"Okay," I say and she's gone.
I stand there and wait. Ain't nothing else I can do. I wait and wait. It ain't easy. I hear shouting and a couple of gunshots. But I still wait. Probably warning shots. There's more shouting and Antoinette cries out. Someone hit her. One of those shitfucking Doyles hit her. I hate Doyles so fucking much.
But I wait. It's what I do. It's my mission. Wait then follow.
The Humvees start up and drive off. I can hear that over the crackling of the fire. I count to thirty, my head turned so I know which direction they go. When I hit thirty-one, I sprint as fast as I can towards the edge of the roof.
My foot touches the small wall that rims the roof and I throw the duffel out into the alley as I jump. I stretch out as far as I can, my arms in front of me like I'm Super Elsbeth. I'd already memorized every inch of every building next to this one. The smoke hits my face and I'm blind, but I don't worry. Five, four, three, two, one.
My hands slam into the window ledge of the building across the alley. Second story. Still a long ways up and a long ways down. I cry out then bite my lip as one of my fingernails bends back. My shoulder ain't feeling so hot neither. But I don't let go. I grip that fucking ledge with every ounce of strength I have.
I pull myself up and elbow the window, shattering the glass. I don't have time to clear it, so I suck it up and roll inside. I'm able to get the Barrett through and it and the gear pack protects most of me, but I still take some shards in my side and backs of my arms. Fuck it. New mission, new energy. New El.
I'm in some office. Lawyer or accountant or one of those businessy types. I don't fucking care. Quick check to make sure I'm not bleeding out (I'm not) and I sprint for the office door. Kick hard, door goes down. Two Zs in the hallway. Fuck the Zs. I chop some heads off then run for the stairs.
Down the stairs, into a lobby. More Zs. Six. I kill five and shove the sixth out of my way. Burst from the front door.
Taillights far off down the street. Then they turn right and are gone. Lots of Zs in the street. Doesn't matter. I kill a dozen or so then fetch the duffel from the alley. I'll check the weapons later. Not now.
Now? I run.
My pack is heavy, the Barrett is heavy, the duffel is heavy, but I have a mission. Save the sisters. Save the preggers ladies. Kill all the fucking Doyles.
Yeah. I smile. I fucking love a good mission where a bunch of shitfuckers die.
Chapter Ten
I'm five blocks away when I hear the playground building collapse. I glance back and see sparks fly high up into the air like fireworks, but ugly. Smoke glows from the flames. The buildings next to it are gonna catch too. This town is gonna burn to the fucking ground.
Good. Fuck this town. It killed Steph. It deserves to fucking die too.
The duffel bag keeps getting heavier, but I don't care. Got a mission. Got to save my sisters and the ladies at the breeding farm.
Breeding farm. Where do these shitfuckers come up with this shit? Where do any of these assholes come up with any of it? Cannies? Who fucking decides one day they'll eat people? Pa decided. He seemed to like it. I never liked it, but Pa made me pretend I did. I pretended hard enough that I believed it. But I never really did believe it. Fuck Pa.
Cannies and crazies and scavengers just shitting on an already shitty world. They strip out the good and the fun and leave nothing but evil ass bullshit. It ain't hard to be good. But it's easier for some to be bad. Fuck them.
I switch the duffel bag to my other arm as I jog down the street. Side street to my right and I take it. I won't be able to keep up with the trucks and Humvees, but I can make my trip easier by using whatever shortcuts I can find.
Seven Zs lurch out in front of me, coming out of the shadows for my yummy people meat. I grip the duffel bag tighter and slash at the first one with one of my blades. His head tumbles to the feet of the others and they stop and stare down at it. Ain't never seen Zs do that before. They just stare at the head.
And all the blood. A lot of blood. Bright red blood. Not thick and gooey like Z blood, but bright red like people blood. Living people blood.
Shit. Not Zs. People.
Speaking of crazies…
"Hey!" one of the people hisses. "You killed Larry!'
"Get the fuck out of my way or I'll do the same to you," I snarl. "I don't wanna, but I will."
"Nice blade you got there," one of the others says. "You got a matching one on your hip. And a couple of pistols. We'll take those from ya."
"No, ya won't," I say and move to dodge around them. They fan out and block the street. I sigh. It's one of my exaggerated sighs that's really loud and really long. "Move. I ain't asking again."
"And we ain't asking again either," the first one says. "Gives us your stuff or we kill you."
They've done a good job at looking like Zs. Even smeared Z guts all over themselves to blend in. Probably how they can walk around without getting eaten.
"You all with the Doyles?" I ask.
"Shut the fuck up and gives us your stuff," the first guy snarls.
"You the leader?" I ask.
"I said to shut the fuck—" he starts saying.
He don't get to finish as I drop my blade and pull a .45, sending a bullet between his eyes. I turn the pistol on the others. They flinch. A couple run off, arms flailing like they're one of those puppet things on TV. I remember those things from when I was a little girl. A frog and a pig get it on, I think. Nasty stuff.
"You," I say to what I think is a woman underneath all the Z guts and grime. She's frozen with fear, her eyes on my pistol. "You know the Doyles?"
"I know them," she says. "But we ain't part of them. We're just folks trying to get by."
"You know where their breeding farm is?" I ask. She nods. "Good. You got a vehicle? A car or truck?"
She shakes her head.
A man stayed with her and he grabs her by the hand.
"Don't kill us, please," he says. "We just wanted your stuff. We didn't want to hurt you or eat you or nothing."
"I ain't gonna hurt you unless you try to hurt me," I say. The duffel bag feels like ten tons of shit and I grunt as I get a better grip on the straps. "You two know where I can find a vehicle? One that runs? The Doyles have any stashed around town?"
"Just let us go, please," the man says.
"Answer my fucking question first," I reply and give my pistol a little shake. I think he pees himself. "Jesus. Do you know where I can get a vehicle?"
"Not one with an engine," the woman says.
"Marjorie!" the man hisses. "No!"
"Hush, David," she snaps.
"What do you mean not one with an engine?" I ask, making sure I focus only on Marjorie. Fuck this David guy. "You got something
without an engine?"
"No, we don't," David says and pulls at Marjorie's hand. "Come on. The Zs are coming. We need to hide."
"We have a trike," Marjorie says. "We use it sometimes to haul supplies when we know the Doyles ain't out on the streets. Why do you need a vehicle?"
"This shit is heavy," I say and lift the duffel a few inches higher. My shoulder is singing the song of angry muscles, but I try not to let them see that. "I need to save my strength for when I get to the breeding farm."
A shot rings out and the pavement at my feet splinters. I don't even think, just return fire with the .45. A man screams then falls over from his crappy hiding place behind a broken trash can down the street.
"Stop killing us!" David shouts. "Just stop it!"
"Well, stop being stupid and thinking you can take me!" I shout back.
"You gonna kill the Doyles and save the women from that farm?" Marjorie asks.
"She's just one woman," David says. "She can't do that. Nobody can save those women. They're goners."
"My baby sister is on that farm," Marjorie says. "I can show you where it is."
"No!" David yells. "Marjorie! Stop this! We keep our heads down! We keep hidden! It's how we live!"
"That ain't living," I say to pissy-bitch David. "That's being dead, but still breathing."
"If you promise to save my baby sister, I'll show you where the farm is," Marjorie says. "I'll take you there on the trike."
"What the fuck is a trike?" I ask.
"It's a bike with three wheels," David said. "Duh."
He almost gets shot.
"Follow us," Marjorie says and eyes the .45. "But can you put that away."
"I don't think so," I say. "David's kind of a dick and I don't trust him. I'll just hang onto it."
"This is ridiculous," David says. "The woman can shoot, but no way she can take on the Doyles by herself."
I hook my toe under my blade and kick it up into the air. I tuck the .45 in my belt, catch the blade, slip it into its sheath, then pull the .45 and have it aimed at David's nuts before he can blink.
"I can do a lot more than shoot," I say. "So can my sisters." I lift the duffel. "I show up with all this and we can take down the Doyles. Maybe not all of them, but the ones at the farm."
