by Angela Scott
She turned hers eyes from one man to the other. "I love Caroline just like a sister. You both know I do, and I want to help her, but are you both out of your mind? Have you forgotten what I am?"
Trace placed his hands on her forearms and pulled her toward him. "You're not capable of hurting her or the baby. That's not who you are."
"We don't know that for certain," she said. "As much as you want to believe I'm fine, we all know that deep inside I'm not like you at all."
He shook his head. "Just because you can move among the dead walkers doesn't mean you're one of them. You are a living, breathing human being. They're not. You're not a monster, and you never will be."
Caroline's agonized cries crossed the courtyard, and a different fear wrapped itself around Red's heart. She wanted to go to her friend and help her, but her feet refused to move.
"Please!" Wen's eyes pleaded with her. "I wouldn't ask if I believed you could hurt her or the baby."
She was about to argue with him once more and tell him to go deliver his own baby, when a small voice interrupted.
"I know you can do it." The eleven-year-old girl stood just inside the door, her hair disheveled from sleep. "I'll even help you if you like."
Red smiled at Rivers and her offer. "I appreciate that, but—"
"I helped my ma when she had my baby sister. I fetched the water. I wiped her face and whispered kind words to her when it got tough." The girl ignored Red and faced Wen. "I can do that same thing for Caroline."
Besides the birth of a calf back on the farm where she lived as a child, Red had no other experience in these things. She had no idea when it was time to push, no idea how to cut a cord, or even if she should. And once the baby was out, then what?
"I don't know."
"It'll be okay," Rivers encouraged. "Caroline needs us and you're the bravest person I know."
"But what if—"
"It won't," Trace said.
"I might—"
"You'll be fine. I promise. I'll be right outside if you need me." He kissed her forehead.
Rivers wiggled the fingers of her outstretched hand toward Red. "Come on. A new baby is always exciting."
Red wasn't so sure about that.
***
Wen ran his hands through his hair for what seemed the hundredth time, and Trace worried the man would end up prematurely bald before the baby was actually born. Wen paced the courtyard and rarely took a break from his nervous walking, only stopping once or twice to listen at the door to the room he shared with Caroline.
They could hear her struggles and painful cries; the closed door did nothing to muffle them. It ripped at Trace's heart, but he could only imagine the anguish Wen felt at hearing the woman he loved suffer.
Trace placed his hand on Wen's shoulder. "Hey, how about we check the gates once more?"
"I want to be here for Caroline." Wen stopped and listened at the door again. When one of Caroline's guttural cries rose from inside, his hands went straight to his hair and he continued with his pacing.
"Ira and Fisher can stand guard for a minute or two. They're capable." Trace glanced at the feeble old man, Caroline's father, and to the six-year-old boy.
Both sat on a bench nearby, listening to everything going on—Caroline's screams, Trace's attempts to distract Wen—but saying nothing. Ira couldn't speak; a fit had taken that ability away, along with his capacity to walk without aid of crutches or a gentle arm to lean on. Fisher, on the other hand, hadn't spoken a word in nearly a year—not since the last zombie attack that nearly killed Rivers and changed Red. At first they had tried to coax the boy to speak, but after many fruitless attempts, they accepted that Fisher would talk when he felt the need to say something. Until then, Ira and Fisher made a unique pair, their shared silence creating a bond between the two.
"Ain't that right, Fisher?" Trace smoothed the boy's downy hair. "You'll come get us when it's time?"
The boy nodded as he continued to stroke Lasso's fur. The dog had stopped running around the perimeter and barking at the gates hours before, and instead parked himself silently at Fisher's and Ira's feet.
Trace turned back to Wen. "See? Let's go check the gates again. We'll only be gone a minute. I promise."
Even as they approached the west gate, Wen glanced back over his shoulder.
"Everything's going to be just fine," Trace assured him. "Caroline's strong and Red's very capable."
"I know. I just feel helpless."
"I think we all do."
The hoard pressed in on the thick wooden gate, but everything appeared to be in good working order. The hinges held, the horizontal beam locked it all in place, and no cracks or buckling had appeared.
"Everything looks great!" Trace called to Wen over the incessant squawking of the dead and their clawing at the walls. "Let's make sure the other one's holding, too."
The gates were one foot thick, the stone walls four. The wayward group had held up inside the fort for months without any breach from the zombies, and Trace didn't expect that to change. But today, the undead were louder, more persistent. They wanted in, even if it meant sanding each of their boney fingers down to the nubs to do so.
Fortunately, the east gate looked just as capable of holding back the ravenous dead—no bowing, no bending. Exactly what Trace wanted to see.
"I'm worried." Wen didn't make eye contact, but kept his back to Trace while he double-checked the cross beam. "We're running low on supplies. There ain't but a couple pounds of flour left, and some cornmeal. But with Caroline and the baby, we're stuck in here. There's no way I can take them outside these walls. Not like this. The uglies will tear them apart." He placed his palm on the shaking gate and hung his head.
Trace understood Wen's worry; he'd had his own fair share of worry as well. With seven people to feed, food supplies dwindled far too quickly with no way to replenish them. What once was a safe haven would become their death trap if they didn't figure out how to get more food soon. Wen was right, though: moving Caroline and the baby was out of the question.
"Somehow we'll find a way to manage. We always do," Trace said. "Let's just concentrate on getting your baby here. The rest we'll figure out later."
***
With each push and painful cry, the zombie mass outside the fort walls grew louder. The growls became deafening as they mixed with the slapping of palms against the rock surface and the clawing at the large gates. Hour after hour it continued, and the noise wore on Red's already frazzled nerves.
"They want my baby," Caroline said, stating the obvious.
It made sense—the timing of the baby's birth and the stirring of the undead. It couldn't be coincidence. Still, Red couldn't comprehend how the undead knew of the baby.
"They can't get in." Rivers dabbed Caroline's face with the cool cloth. "Don't worry, we're safe."
Red forced a smile. "She's right. They're not getting in."
Even though she'd said it, she worried. In all the months they'd lived within the confines of the fort walls, the undead had never behaved this way. It was a whole new experience for all of them.
Pain flooded Caroline's features once more and she leaned forward, grabbed the back of her legs, and bore down.
"You're doing great," Red encouraged. "The baby's almost here."
"I wish they'd stop." Caroline closed her eyes. "It'd be easier if they'd just be quiet."
Red silently agreed. The continual din pricked at everyone's nerves.
Pain again washed over Caroline, and she sprang upward, pushing and grunting. Red looked at Rivers, worried this was more than the eleven-year-old could bear, but Rivers held Caroline's hand and whispered encouragement to her, while averting her tender eyes from the more delicate parts of the laboring woman.
"Come on, you're almost there." Red reached forward and grabbed Caroline's arm when she tried to settle back against the pillows. "No, don't stop now. You can do this."
"I can't."
"Yes, you can. Your baby is alm
ost here. Push a little more."
Caroline tipped her head back and cried toward the ceiling, but did as Red asked and bore down again through her agony.
"That's it, Caroline. That's it!"
The tiny scrunched-up face emerged and Red slipped her hands under the delicate little head, nervous yet amazed at the tiny miracle.
With another hefty push from Caroline, the rest of baby slid free into Red's waiting hands. For a moment, she stared at the baby—a real little person whose existence only moments before was hard to imagine.
Its brow crinkled and its tiny balled fists pumped at the air. The baby's miniature lips puckered in displeasure and a tiny howl filled the room.
The undead went crazy in response.
DESERT RICE
This Upper YA/Women's Fiction adventure is now available at Amazon.
~~~~~
Samantha Jean Haggert is a beautiful twelve-year-old girl, but no one knows it. All they see is an awkward boy in a baseball cap and baggy pants. Sam's not thrilled with the idea of hiding her identity, but it's all part of her brother's plan to keep Sam safe from male attention and hidden from the law. Fifteen-year-old Jacob will stop at nothing to protect his sister, including concealing the death of the one person who should have protected them in the first place--their mother.
Sam and Jacob try to outrun their past by stealing the family car and traveling from West Virginia to Arizona, but the adult world proves mighty difficult to navigate, especially for two kids on their own. Trusting adults has never been an option; no adult has ever given them a good reason. But when Sam meets "Jesus"--who smells an awful lot like a horse--in the park, life takes a different turn. He saved her once, and may be willing to save Sam and her brother again, if only they admit what took place that fateful day in West Virginia. The problem? Sam doesn't remember, and Jacob isn't talking.
~~~~~
Praise for Desert Rice:
"First, a disclosure: I was Angela's literary agent back in 2010/2011 and I was in love with this book. I knew it would be an almost impossible sell to publishers who were looking for the next big vampire or zombie book (which, as it turns out, Angela appears to have followed this one with). We got turned down for all the wrong reasons... and now, a smaller publisher has picked it up for all the right ones: #1 of which is, it's a damned good book." – A.B. at Amazon
"I'm a VERY difficult reader to please and this isn't a book I would typically read but I read it and boy was I blown away. This novel captivated me, not from the first page but from the very first sentence, where we are brought smack in the middle of the action. The voice of the innocent and mostly naïve narrator, Samantha, is honest and real as she navigates through two journeys; an inner journey of the issues surrounding becoming a teenager (nicely addresses some tween topics), and a journey of dealing with the world around her." – M. Charafeddine (Book Haven)
"There are books that are un-put-downable. I fall so deep into these books it's as if I am a living, breathing character involved in the chaos, heartache and adventures played out before my eyes. Desert Rice was no exception. The first page pulled me into a story full of heroism, plot thickening, and cliff hanging moments. A book is many things to one person. And to that one person, a book holds many chances for time travel, fast paced adventure and a bond with people you love and will never meet. To me, this book held a world I'd gladly ad to my shelf so I can visit often." – Nannette Pitts
More from Evolved Publishing:
CIRCLES
by Ruby Standing Deer
This critically acclaimed Native American Indian Historical Fiction novel is now available at Amazon.
~~~~~
With much of the world still undiscovered, a small band of people live a peaceful life, until the dream vision of a young boy, Feather Floating In Water, changes everything. Only nine winters old, Feather's dreams turn his seemingly ordinary childhood into the journey of a lifetime. He must help his people face a terrifying destiny from which they cannot turn away. He must find a way to make his people listen.
Bright Sun Flower, the boy's grandmother, guides his beginnings, teaching him about the Circle of Life, and how without it, no life can exist. But he needs a bigger push, and gets it from a grey wolf and a Great Elder. The boy's journey leads him to discover that the Circle of Life involves all people, all living things, and not just the world he knows.
In the end, an ancient People guide the boy in his visions, toward an unexpected place hidden from outsiders.
This story is steeped in American Indian life, in their beliefs and humor, and in their love of family. It shows how we might benefit from the old ways today.
~~~~~
Praise for Circles:
"This novel of historic fiction is a must for any fan of Native American history, or seeker of knowledge, or lover of life. It is expertly crafted with vivid imagery and characters that will become beloved. If you don't know what it means to sing someone home, prepare to swallow hard. It is heart warming and moving. Truly a thing of beauty." – T.W. Griffith
"Gorgeous language, an inspiring story, and unforgettable characters--Circles has it all. I fell for this book in the very first chapter when we're introduced to Feather Floating In Water, and I didn't fall out from under its spell even after I had read the final word. I found myself "thumbing" back through the pages to read particular passages just like I return to my favorite poems." – Yvonne Rupert
"From the first chapter, truly the first paragraph, I was transported into the lives of the characters, feeling their joys, pains, their lives. The gentle way in which the author writes, you feel deeply full-filled. Your soul expands as you read, you wish for it to continue forever." – Rosaleen MacQueen
"In today's age, where everything is delivered at a high speed pace, we have a book that slows us right down and allows us to take a breath as we follow the simple life of an American Indian people at the time of the conquistadores. If you want to read something that is not formulaic, but original and captivating, then this is your book." – Silby Grant
From one of the editors of Wanted: Dead or Undead:
FORGIVE ME, ALEX
by Lane Diamond
This Psychological Thriller novel is available at Amazon.
~~~~~
Tony Hooper stands in shadow across the street, one amongst many in the crowd of curiosity-hounds gathered to watch a monster's release. Seventeen years after Mitchell Norton, the devil, terrorized Algonquin, Illinois on a spree of kidnapping, torture and murder, the authorities release the butcher from psychiatric prison.
Tony longs to charge across the street to destroy Norton—no remorse—as if stepping on a cockroach. Only sheer force of will prevents his doing so.
The devil walks the world again. What shall Tony do about it? Aye, what indeed.
After all, this is what Tony does. It's who he is. The devil himself long ago made Tony into this hunter of monsters. What a sweet twist of fate this is, that he may still, finally, administer justice.
Will FBI Special Agent Linda Monroe stop him? She owes him her life, so how can she possibly put an end to his?
Tony Hooper and Mitchell Norton battle for supremacy, with law enforcement always a step away, in this story of justice and vengeance, evil and redemption, fear and courage, love and loss.
~~~~~
Praise for Forgive Me, Alex:
"Lane gets you into the head of the characters and you feel this bond with them urging you to read faster to find out what happens next. You know you are reading a great book when you need to stop reading but keep telling yourself just one more chapter, then one more leads to half the book. I felt so bad for Tony and all his loss. I wanted to murder Mitchell Norton myself. I wish I knew old Frank personally. I was caught off guard by the ending and can't wait for the next book! Well done!" – Jennifer @ Can't Put It Down Reviews
"...Lane's writing makes you really care about these people and what's going on. Lane excels in this area of sympathetic ch
aracters." – Tim C. Ward, Book Blogger & Podcaster
"I have actually read this story twice, yes twice! There are new things to discover each time you read it and I would encourage you to pick it up again, see what you can discover about Tony Hooper the second time around ... and see what you can maybe discover about yourself. I was able to understand my sick fascination with serial killers and horror gore a little better with the aide of "Forgive Me, Alex" - it is the only media representation of such a horrific character type that effectively goes beyond the curtain." – Marie Borthwick
"With a deeply attuned attention to the nature of humanity and psychosis, Diamond delves into the darkest corners of the human mind and pulls out nuggets of horror and absolution that will leave you wanting more. I look forward to more books from this amazing author. This is a book to rival any of the great thrillers you've ever read and is a definite must read!" – Kimberly Kinrade, Author of The Forbidden Trilogy
"I think what struck me the most about the story, and what I really enjoyed, was the way Diamond explored the depths of the main characters, Tony Hooper and Mitchell Norton. It would be easy in this type of story to get caught up in the action. But correctly, I think, Diamond recognizes that the strength of the book lies in the characters, and he does an excellent job of helping the reader understand the inner workings of their minds. ... That is not to say that the "action" scenes were not well done. In fact, I found myself drawn to the most disturbing scenes, which I think is a real compliment to the manner in which they were presented." – Rich V. at Amazon
FARSIGHTED
(Farsighted #1)
This romantic YA fantasy adventure is now available at Amazon.
~~~~~
Multiple Award Winner, including:
Winner: Writer's Digest Self-Published* Novel Awards, Young Adult Category, 2012
(*Prior to signing with Evolved Publishing. This newly revised edition even better!)
