by Chelsea Luna
“Or beer,” Nicky said. “And a baseball game.”
“Had you picked a school yet?” Adam asked Cage.
Cage raised an eyebrow. “What?”
“It was going to be your senior year. Did you decide which college you wanted to go to next year?”
“Oh.”
“He never tells anyone that stuff.” Lindsay yawned. “Top secret football crap that the whole city was dying to know, but Cage always kept his mouth shut.”
“I doubt anyone cared where I was planning to play college football,” Cage said. “It matters even less, now.”
“I read an article that listed all your prospective schools,” Adam said. “Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Nebraska and the University of Tennessee.”
It was still strange to Rachel that Cage had been a Football God in the City of Flint and now here he was, handing her chunks of tuna to eat.
“Did you go to college?” Lindsay asked Adam. “You look like you could play football, too.”
“I became a fireman right after high school. That’s all I ever wanted to do.”
“How old are you?” Rachel asked.
“Twenty-four.” Adam lifted his eyes to Rachel. “What are you? Seventeen?”
“I’ll be eighteen in a few weeks.”
Selena sighed. “I wish I was eighteen again.”
Nicky tilted his head at Selena. “It’s been bothering me since we met. Do I know you? Have we met before?”
Color rose to Selena’ face. “No. I’d remember you, Nicky. You’re not easy to forget.”
Adam stared at the ground.
“Don’t get mad, but did you use to work at The Doll Club?” Nicky asked.
“The strip club?” Lindsay asked.
“We’ve never met,” Selena said, not answering Nicky’s question. She flipped over and pulled the blanket up to her chin.
Adam looked relaxed. He had one leg stretched out and the other bent, his forearm resting on his knee. Why didn’t he say something to Nicky? Was it true? Was Selena a stripper?
“Dude,” Nicky said to Cage. “If things ever go back to normal, you can’t go to Michigan.”
“Why?” Lindsay asked. “It’s a good school.”
“Did you forget what just happened there?” Nicky said. “You’ll never be able to forget that. It will be like… seared into your memory. Forever. Like everything else that’s happened. I can never go back to Gianni’s Pizzeria or the Wooden Barrel in Flint. No way.”
The group grew quiet.
“Let’s get some sleep,” Adam said. “We all need it.”
Rachel glanced at Morgan, sleeping with her mouth slightly open. Rachel placed her sheet over the kids. “I’m going to grab another sheet from the storeroom. Does anyone need anything?”
There were a murmur of noes, but Cage hopped to his feet. “I’ll go with you.”
Nicky made kissing noises and sprawled out beside Lindsay.
“Where’s the flashlight?” Rachel asked.
Adam reached into his bag. He handed the flashlight to Rachel and as he did, his fingers brushed against hers.
She dropped her eyes from his stare. “Thanks.” Rachel felt Adam’s eyes on her back as Cage and she walked to the storeroom.
“I couldn’t let you go by yourself,” Cage said. “Remember what happened the last time you ventured off alone?”
“Hopefully, there’s no three-hundred pound zombie hiding behind the boxes. If so, he might win the award for the most stealthy deadhead ever.”
Cage playfully flexed his muscles. “Or I’ll just have to save you again.”
Rachel pointed the flashlight to the far wall. Boxes were stacked in neat rows around the room. Cage took Rachel’s hand. It felt warm and dry and she squeezed it reassuringly.
“How many sheets should we grab?” Rachel asked.
Cage swung his hand around and Rachel found herself standing in front of him. Face-to-face. He placed the flashlight on the box beside them. The narrow beam gave off enough light that Rachel could make out every handsome feature.
Cage placed a hand on her neck, cradling her jawline, and laid the other hand lightly on her hip. He stepped closer, diminishing the space between them. He pressed his body against hers. “We’re never alone,” he whispered.
“Never.”
“Nicky’s always butting in.” Cage gently stroked her cheek with his thumb. “I never really had the chance to thank you for coming back for me at the dorm.”
“You’re welcome.”
Rachel rested her hand on his chest, feeling the muscles beneath his shirt. Despite his calm appearance, Cage’s heart rapidly thumped under her palm. She knew her own heart was beating just as quickly.
Cage lowered his mouth to hers. His lips were gentle, but she deepened the kiss— remembering the horrible feeling she had when she’d thought she’d lost him. Rachel’s hand trailed up his chest and wrapped around his neck. She pulled him down closer, already on her tiptoes, trying to melt into him.
His hands slid down from her waist to her butt. He lifted her up and she wrapped her legs around him. She was above him now, kissing his mouth and jawline. He placed her down on a stack of boxes, making her mouth the perfect height for his.
Cage pressed his forehead against hers, breathing heavily. “I only feel alive when I’m with you,” he whispered.
She wrapped her arms around his neck. “We’re going to survive this.”
Chapter Eleven
They slept for sixteen hours.
Adam pushed the button on his Timex watch and the face lit green. It was one-seventeen in the afternoon. The sheets that hung over the store’s front windows, while effectively hiding them from any passing zombies, also blocked out any trace of sunlight. Combined with stress and lack of sleep, the darkened room was the perfect place to crash. Adam rubbed his eyes, knowing he could sleep for another sixteen hours.
Selena stretched. “Good morning, handsome.”
He kissed her on the cheek. “Good morning, beautiful.”
“You two are going to make me throw up in my mouth.” Nicky covered his head with the sheet. “Go back to sleep and stop complimenting each other on your endless good looks.”
“It’s one in the afternoon.”
“So what? I don’t have any plans. Oh wait, let me check my schedule. All it says is: don’t get eaten by zombies. Mission accomplished.”
Rachel popped up. Cage’s arm was draped across her waist. “Really? We slept that long?”
Cage groaned. “I’m with Nicky. More sleep. Less talking.”
Rachel smiled. “Morning Morgan, morning Finn.”
Lindsay stood without a word and headed to the bathroom. Her hair was plastered against the side of her face.
“I’m hungry.” Finn yawned. “I wish we could order waffles.”
“Ooh,” Morgan said. “Or French toast with bacon.”
Nicky groaned. “I guess this means everyone is awake.” He sighed. “I knew I should’ve gone solo.”
“You wouldn’t have made it one day,” Rachel said, grinning.
Nicky threw a wad of clothes at her. “We all can’t be Warrior Princesses. But you have to admit that I am pretty badass with the fire axe. Adam, shouldn’t that be your weapon of choice? You’re the fireman.” Nicky’s dark shaggy hair stuck up like porcupine spikes.
“I’ll stick with my pipe.”
“Lame-o.” Nicky stretched. “I’m with little Rachel, I want some bacon.”
“It’s Morgan,” Rachel said. “Not little Rachel.”
Nicky shrugged.
“I need a weapon.” Finn turned to Adam. “I don’t have anything to protect myself with.”
“Dude, you’re twelve,” Nicky said. “What do you want? An AK-47?”
“Heck yeah.”
“I’m just joking, dude. If we had an AK-47, obviously, I’d be the one using it.”
Adam glanced at Finn. The kid was tough and he was the reason they’
d all just slept peacefully for the past sixteen hours. “I’ll see what I can find for you, Finn. Do you want one, too, Morgan?”
Morgan shook her head. “I don’t want to kill any of those things.”
Adam thought he saw Rachel smile, but she turned her head and whispered something in Cage’s ear.
“We should get going,” Adam said, moving his eyes away from Rachel and Cage. “We have a two mile walk to Manny’s house.”
“You’re like a ruthless dictator,” Nicky said. “Or an evil cattle driver. It’s always, let’s go, let’s go, let’s go.”
“You’re still alive.” Selena smiled. “Don’t start a rebellion.”
Nicky groaned, but everyone started moving. They had a small breakfast, refilled the water bottles and restocked their backpacks with another change of clothes.
Adam found the first aid kit in his backpack and walked over to Rachel. She was with Cage, cleaning her hunting knife with a damp fabric. She smiled at him. “Hey.”
Adam lifted the kit. “Today’s your last dose of antibiotics.”
“Good. I changed the bandage last night.”
“Come with me to the counter? I’ll have more room there.”
“Sure.” Rachel stood.
Rachel and Adam walked in silence to the back of the boutique. He placed the first aid kit on the glass counter, ignoring the feeling that Cage, even on the other side of the room, was staring at them. Rachel rolled up her sleeve.
Adam peeled back the bandage and winced. “Sorry. I don’t want to hurt you.”
“You’re not hurting me,” Rachel whispered.
He watched the syringe fill with medicine and tried not to think of how blue Rachel’s eyes were. What was he doing? Why did he see Rachel’s face and not Selena’s when death was hanging over him? He tapped the syringe for bubbles before wrapping his hand around her upper arm. He noticed the stiffness in her stance. “You okay?”
“Yeah.” She lowered her eyes.
Adam injected her with the needle and re-bandaged the wound. Did she feel the tension between them? Or was he imagining it? It seemed palpable. Rachel stared at the ground, as if purposefully avoiding eye contact with him.
She feels it, too.
Adam pulled her sleeve down, his fingertips brushing her skin. A blush of color rushed to her cheeks. “Thanks.”
He swallowed. “No problem.”
“Adam.” Selena appeared out of nowhere. “Finn wants a weapon.” She looked back and forth between Rachel and him.
“Thanks for the antibiotics, Adam.” Rachel ducked her head and quickly walked away.
Selena frowned.
Adam slowly closed the first aid kit. “I think I have the perfect weapon for Finn.” He exhaled as he walked with Selena to the front of the store, carefully avoiding Cage’s glare.
Once they were ready to go, they lined up at the door at a little past three o’clock in the afternoon.
“This was a good spot,” Selena said. “Thanks, Finn.”
Finn nodded.
“Okay everyone, listen up. We’re in the city now, so it’s going to be a little different than Ann Arbor. We have to move quickly,” Adam said. “No running — we need to conserve our energy — but walk briskly.”
“Like those mall power walkers,” Nicky said.
Adam ignored Nicky. “Stay together and keep your eyes peeled. Morgan and Finn stay in the center of the group.”
Cage tore down the sheets. Adam squinted from the rush of sunlight flooding into the store. All signs of yesterday’s thunderstorm were gone. The sky was blue and the concrete was bone dry. Nicky and Cage helped Adam unlatch the storeroom door that was mounted across the broken glass door.
Adam pulled up the grate and cringed as it creaked. He checked the street, expecting to see a pack of zombies running toward them, but it was empty. They took off on foot down the abandoned street. Manny’s house wasn’t far. If they could make it there, maybe even pick up some extra supplies from his cousin, then they could potentially be at Ford Field within a few hours.
They had gone about a mile before Nicky stopped in his tracks. “Wait!”
Rachel stumbled into him. “Nicky! You almost broke my ankle.”
“Sorry,” Nicky said. “Look down there.”
A small mom-and-pop pharmacy was on the corner of the street. The entire front glass wall was shattered. Adam debated. There might be some useful supplies left inside, especially water. Their lack of water worried him, but they were so close to Manny’s house.
“What do you guys think?” Adam asked.
“It’s worth a look around,” Rachel said. “We need water.”
The rest of them agreed. They cautiously approached the pharmacy. Glass littered the sidewalk and two red shopping carts were flipped over in front of the door. Cage and Nicky shoved them out of the way.
They stepped inside, glass crunching underfoot. A zombie wandered down an aisle, but Adam disposed of the zombie before it could growl.
“Selena, you, Lindsay and the kids stay up front near the door.” Adam ignored Selena’s face.
He didn’t need to finish his order. Everyone moved to their designated places. Selena and Lindsay stood with the kids near the shattered window. Cage, Rachel and Nicky flanked his sides.
Adam knew he upset Selena every time he ordered her to stay behind, but what was he supposed to do? His job was to protect her. Selena was mad because Adam allowed Rachel along on the missions. Selena reasoned that if one girl could go, why couldn’t another? But Rachel was an asset. She could fight better than Nicky (and maybe even Cage) and he desperately wanted Rachel by his side whenever there was a chance of danger. Selena’s pride would have to take a hit. Besides, someone had to look after Finn and Morgan.
They split into pairs — Adam and Nicky went to the left and Cage and Rachel moved to the right. Most of the shelves were empty, but he found a few salvageable items: two bags of chips, beef jerky, a bottle of peroxide and some bandages (their first aid kit was running low), and a few bottles of water that had rolled beneath a display.
It was a good raid. All of the prescription drugs were gone — no doubt stolen at the beginning of the outbreak by drug addicts. Adam had enough antibiotics that it didn’t bother him, but he did luck out and find a tube of Neosporin for the blisters on Selena’s feet.
“Are we good?” Adam called out to Cage.
“Good over here.”
“Let’s head out.” Adam followed Nicky down the aisle of feminine products. He stopped, wondering if any of the girls needed something from this aisle, when the worst sound he’d ever heard rang out through the pharmacy.
Nicky glanced over his shoulder with a look that Adam would never be able to forget for the rest of his life. His face confirmed what Adam heard.
Selena was screaming.
Chapter Twelve
Shit.
That’s the only thing that went through Nicky’s head when he heard the screams. Couldn’t they have one twenty-four hour period of peace? Was that asking too much? Adam darted past Nicky. Rachel and Cage’s shoes pounded across the linoleum a few aisles over.
Selena had quieted, but now Lindsay was emitting shrill, high-pitched shrieks that were probably attracting every zombie in the area. He had to teach her not to do that. Maybe she could bite her fist like girls did in those old black-and-white movies. Anything would be better than that ear-piercing, nails-on-the-chalkboard, scream. Nicky raced after Adam and skidded to a stop at the end of the aisle.
The others were on the sidewalk in front of the store. Lindsay continued to scream at the top of her lungs.
“Lindsay, knock it off!” Nicky yelled.
Finn held the pipe that Adam had given him at the boutique. A zombie was sprawled out over the sidewalk. The end of Finn’s pipe was stuck in the zombie’s head. Its skull bashed to a pulp. A pool of bright red blood leaked over the cement.
“Good job, Finn,” Nicky whispered. He dislodged the pipe from the zombi
e’s head and handed it back to Finn.
Adam stood still, gripping his own pipe so hard that the veins in his forearms bulged.
“Lindsay,” Rachel hissed. “Shut up!”
Nicky hadn’t realized that Lindsay was still screaming like an idiot. The sound had somehow disappeared when he saw what had happened. Nicky moved beside Adam.
Selena sat on the pavement with her knees hunched against her chest. Light green eyes filled with tears. Her left hand was cradled protectively against her body. Blood dripped from a perfect semicircle of mangled skin on Selena’s palm.
Nicky swallowed.
Selena pulled her eyes from the bite wound and lifted her gaze to Adam. She blinked in disbelief. “I’m dead.”
~ ~ ~
I’m dead.
Selena heard the words leave her mouth, but she wasn’t sure that she actually comprehended what she’d said. I’m dead. She’d been handed the ultimate death sentence. Immediate death with the chance of a reanimated corpse if her friends couldn’t react accordingly. There was nothing worse. She’d soon be joining her sister Vivienne.
Selena couldn’t pull her eyes from Adam. She wanted to, but she didn’t want to see the bite and she couldn’t bear to make eye contact with the others. She knew what their faces would look like.
Sympathy. Fear.
Adam stood still. He didn’t breathe. His hair didn’t even seem to blow in the gentle wind. His fist was white from gripping the pipe. The veins and tendons in his arms protruded from his skin like groundhog tunnels.
His mouth was slightly open and his eyes stared down at her without blinking. A single tear fell, sliding down his handsome face and through his dark stubble.
I’m dead.
Adam’s eyes flashed. “Nicky, give me the axe.”
Nicky whipped his head around. “Are you crazy? What the hell? No!”
The unexpected words stung Selena, too. She knew she needed to be killed, but with a fire axe? She swallowed back the fresh fear of being slaughtered with an axe. No, Adam was right. It was better that way. A quick death. She closed her eyes, already feeling the changes in her body.
“I’m going to cut off her hand,” Adam said.
