“God, I hope you’re right.”
“Me, too.”
“You know, they must be eating everyone’s pets, too,” said Paige, her face turning white. “I haven’t seen any animals since Minnesota.”
Kylie’s eyes filled with tears. “All of those poor, defenseless animals. They don’t even have a clue, and I’m sure that many of their owners are eating them. It’s so… sick.”
“I hadn’t even thought about that. That’s such a horrible image,” said Paige, closing her eyes.
“You know, I wonder if Goldie is doing all right.”
Goldie was the Golden Retriever puppy that Cassie and Bryce had saved from the zombies. Kylie had also fallen in love with the pup, but unfortunately, they hadn’t seen her since she’d disappeared with Dave and his group.
“I wonder how Megan and Bobby are doing, too?” said Paige. “They’re so little. They must be terrified.”
“Actually, Bobby seemed to be enjoying running over zombies,” said Kylie. “He thought it was a game.”
There had been a total six people in the other vehicle, besides the dog, Goldie. Cassie, Dave, Bryce, Sara, and her two-year-old daughter, Megan, and six-year-old Bobby. Eva’s dog, Chi Chi, had fled once Eva had turned into a zombie.
Paige frowned. “Great. I have to pee.”
“You shouldn’t have guzzled that entire can of soda,” said Kylie.
Paige burped. “Too late now. Listen, I’m going to sneak out and go behind that car across the street.”
“I should come with you, it’s not safe to go by yourself,” said Kylie.
“No, stay here with Henry,” she said, looking at him. He was still snoring with drool running down his chin. “He might freak out if he wakes up and we’re both gone.”
“Well, okay, just hurry back. Don’t forget your bat.”
Paige grabbed the bat and then quietly slid the van door open. She looked back at her little sister, who was biting her lower lip. “Don’t be scared,” she said. “I’ll be right back.”
“Just hurry, Paige. I don’t want you to get attacked by a zombie.”
She lifted the bat in the air. “They’re too scared to come after me. Don’t worry,” she said to Kylie, who was smiling nervously.
“Okay,” said Kylie.
Paige slid the door shut and then went to find a safe spot to pee. She looked around quickly and saw that there were a couple of zombies near the CDC entrance, but neither seemed to notice her.
She went around to the other side of the van and quickly crossed the street, ducking behind an old Buick Century. She unzipped her pants and sighed, finding relief. When she was finished, she stood up and smiled at Kylie, who was watching her from the van window. A look of horror crossed Kylie’s face and she began motioning with her hands. Before Paige could react, someone grabbed her from behind, threw her over their shoulder, and took off running.
6
Kris
Carly returned to the room an hour later. She looked slightly disheveled, but her eyes sparkled with victory.
“So I take it everything went well?” asked Kris, who was sitting at a table playing solitaire.
She nodded and sat down. “Oh, yeah. That guy was so frisky; I could have probably talked him into anything.”
Kris sighed and then leaned forward at the table, resting her chin on her palm. “I still feel guilty that I allowed you to leave with him knowing he was going to put his paws you. I’m a mother of two girls, I should find that totally unacceptable.”
Carly grabbed a hairbrush and ran it through her curls. “Oh… you have nothing to feel guilty about; I didn’t do anything I didn’t want to. Besides, it really didn’t get very far.”
“Well, that makes me feel a little better. I was really worried that you were doing something you didn’t really want to. So, um… did you find out anything about Allie?”
Her face became serious. “I am almost one hundred percent sure that she’s alive. They’re definitely guarding someone or something in that research lab.”
She stood up. “Did Mike tell you that?”
“He didn’t have to. Two very serious-looking soldiers stood outside, guarding the doors.”
“But you didn’t actually see her?”
“I didn’t, but one of the scientists brought something into the room that made it more than obvious.”
“What?”
Carly smiled. “A package of double-stuffed Oreos.”
From their many conversations about Kris’s family, even Carly knew that it was one of Allie’s favorite snacks. She completely obsessed over them. Cassie had a thing for pickles and Allie had one for Oreos.
“I have to go to her,” muttered Kris, standing up. She began to pace. “She’s probably wondering where I am.”
“It isn’t going to be easy to do with those guards posted.”
Kris scratched her head. “Well, then I’ll just need to create some sort of a distraction.”
Carly nodded. “That might be your only hope.”
The plan they came up with was kind of weak, but they didn’t know what else to do. Carly would go on another rendezvous with the soldier, get him liquored up, and take his gun.
“Then we’ll set off a couple of the fire alarms and hopefully the guards will leave the door to investigate. If they do, you can sneak in and get Allie the hell out of there.”
“I have a bottle of tequila,” said Carly, unzipping her backpack. “I found it hidden in the cafeteria yesterday. Nobody claimed the bottle so I grabbed it. Now I’m so glad I did.”
“Do you think he’ll drink any of it?” asked Kris.
She snorted. “Oh, yeah. He’s already complained about how much he misses his rum and Cokes. When he sees this and the promise of a little party with yours truly, I have a feeling that he’ll jump on it. He’s still just a young and horny guy,” she smiled. “Even the zombie apocalypse can’t change that.”
“Okay, I hope it works,” said Kris.
“It has to,” she said. “It’s all we’ve got.”
A couple hours later, Carly disappeared with an overjoyed soldier while Kris waited on pins and needles. She was more than a little scared of what they were about to do, but there was no way anyone was going to keep her away from Allie. She would find her and leave this place, regardless of what was happening in the outside world. It was easier dealing with the enemies you knew rather than the ones you didn’t, and right now she didn’t trust anyone but Carly.
An hour later Carly showed up, out of breath and with a rifle. “Let’s go,” she said nervously. “He’s passed out but I don’t know how long that’s going to last.”
“Wow, you must have poured it down his throat,” said Kris.
Carly smiled. “Let’s just say he’s all talk when it comes to drinking. He’s a sloppy drunk.”
“I guess that’s unfortunate for him but very good for us.”
“Yeah. You ready?”
“Maybe we should hide the rifle.”
“I’m going to put a blanket over it so the other soldiers don’t notice,” said Carly, grabbing the cover from her cot.
“Okay,” said Kris.
“Let’s go.”
They left the room with Carly leading the way. Kris followed her to the other side of the hospital and fortunately they weren’t questioned by anyone. In fact, they didn’t even run into any soldiers.
“So, where are all the soldiers?” asked Kris.
“Mike mentioned that the zombies were starting to get thick out there so they’ve been working on paneling up the windows near the entrance.”
Kris raised her eyebrows. “More zombies? That’s another problem. How are we going to get out of this place once we find Allie?”
Carly smiled and held up a set of keys. “Forgot to mention this, but Mike and I were partying in an ambulance. When he passed out, I grabbed the keys.”
“Good thinking,” smiled Kris. “You know, I don’t think I could have done any of this
without your help.”
“Well, we haven’t done it yet.”
“Still, thanks for everything.”
Carly squeezed her shoulder. “You’re welcome, hon.”
They continued on until Carly stopped at one of the waiting rooms. “Okay,” she said. “Through that door is the hallway that leads to the research lab. I’m sure the soldiers are still guarding it. Why don’t you hide behind the patient check-in counter while I start working on a few little distractions?”
“Okay.”
“You know, you should probably take the rifle,” she said handing it over, “since you’re the one going in there. Do you know how to use it?”
Kris shrugged. “Yes. I’m just not a very good shot.”
“Well, neither am I, but it looks impressive when you’re staring into the barrel from the other end.”
Kris chuckled. “It sure does. Good luck.”
“You too. I’ll pull some fire alarms and then be back.”
“Um… what if someone catches you?”
Carly tossed her the keys. “Then you’re on your own. The ambulance is downstairs, parked in the emergency entrance.”
“Be careful,” said Kris.
“You too, lady.”
Carly ran off and Kris knelt down behind the counter. Less than two minutes later, sirens were blasting throughout the hospital. The doors burst open and two soldiers hurried by.
“You think the zombies got through?” asked one of them.
“I hope so. I’m bored off my ass and could use a little action.”
When they were gone, Kris snuck quietly to where the soldiers had abandoned their posts. She sighed with relief to find nobody around and quietly opened the door to the laboratory. It was dark except for a small light in the back of the room. She heard murmurs and crept quietly toward the sound.
“Is there a fire?” asked a small voice that made Kris’s heart sing. Tears of joy filled her eyes.
“I don’t think so,” replied Dr. Hill in a low voice. “But put these shoes on just in case we have to move you to a different room.”
“Okay. Where’s my mom, do you think she’s safe?”
“Actually, I’m right here, Allie,” said Kris, stepping out of the shadows. She raised the rifle and pointed it at Dr. Hill. “Alive and well. I see we have that in common.”
Allie, who was twelve but looked so very small in her hospital gown, squealed in delight and moved toward her mom. “Mom! Oh, my God, I’ve been waiting for you all day! Where have you been?”
Without taking her eyes off of the doctor, she said, “Actually, honey, I’ve been trying to find you.”
Allie looked in confusion at the rifle, which was still trained on Dr. Hill. “Mom, what are you doing?”
“Just protecting us.”
He smiled uncomfortably. “Mrs. Wild, there is really no need for that firearm. I’m not a threat to you or your daughter.”
Her eyes blazed. “Oh, really? In that case, why in the hell did you tell me that my daughter was dead?”
“It wasn’t my idea. I was just following orders. Now please, put down the rifle.”
Kris shook her head. “No, I don’t think so. Say goodbye to Dr. Hill, Allie, we’re leaving.”
“You can’t possibly leave with her,” snapped Dr. Hill, taking a step closer. “My God, woman! She pulled through her coma and survived the virus. It’s vital that we find out why. She could be our only hope for a cure.”
“Since you’ve lied to me, I can’t possibly trust you again with my child. Come on, Allie.”
“But…” stammered Dr. Hill.
She glared at him as he dared to take another step. “Stop right there before you make any more bad mistakes. Don’t think for a moment that I won’t shoot you if you try and stop us from leaving.”
He stopped and shook his head. “You’re the one making a mistake.”
“I made a mistake before by trusting you.”
Allie finished putting on her shoes and stood up slowly.
“Look at her, she’s weak. It’s not safe to drag her away from here,” said Dr. Hill.
“It’s not safe keeping her with you. Now enough bullshit, and get on the floor!” hollered Kris.
He got down on his knees. “I hope you’re not taking her out of the hospital. It’s suicidal.”
“All the way down on the floor,” she replied. “Forehead touching.”
He sighed, but thankfully, followed her instructions.
“Don’t even try following us, or I’ll shoot you.”
“You’ll never make it out of here anyway,” he said. “There are far too many soldiers. They just won’t allow it.”
“Stay down,” she growled as they began to back away. Before they reached the door, it opened. Fortunately, it was only Carly.
“Thank goodness you found her. We have to leave quickly,” Carly whispered.
“Here, please take this,” said Kris giving her the gun. She then grabbed Allie’s hand and squeezed it. “This is Carly, honey. She’s helping us escape.”
Allie, who looked suddenly very frail and frightened, smiled.
“Honey, how do you feel?” Kris asked her as they followed Carly through the hospital.
“A little dizzy,” Allie said softly.
She put an arm around her daughter to help steady her. As they began leaving, voices from down one of the nearby hallways halted them.
“Someone’s coming, hide in that room,” ordered Carly.
They waited in one of the exam rooms until a couple of soldiers hurried past.
“Those were Allie’s guards. We have to get the hell out of here,” said Carly.
Kris tightened her hold on Allie and they rushed out of the room to a stairway which led to the main floor of the emergency entrance.
“There’s the ambulance,” pointed Carly.
Kris threw her the keys and turned to Allie. “Honey, we have to run!”
She nodded. “Okay, mom.”
“Stop right there!” yelled someone.
Kris grabbed Allie’s hand and began running. When she looked back and noticed a group of soldiers running toward them, she pulled Allie faster. “Come on, honey!”
Carly made it to the ambulance first and opened the back of it. She climbed in moved all the way to the front.
Breathless, Kris helped Allie climb into the back and slammed the door.
“Good thing Mike’s gone. Now let’s get the hell out of here!” yelled Carly as she started up the truck. “Hold on, girls!”
Kris touched Allie’s cheek, still overwhelmed with happiness that her daughter was alive and no longer in a coma. “Get on the floor, honey, and don’t be afraid.”
Allie nodded and then crouched down on the floor of the ambulance.
“I’ll be back,” said Kris, handing her a blanket and pillow. She then turned and made her way to the front.
“Oh, shit,” mumbled Carly as several soldiers tried blocking the exit. “They’d better move, because I’m not stopping.”
“For the love of God, get out of the way!” hollered Kris as she reached over and blasted the horn several times. When the soldiers noticed the ambulance was picking up speed, they reluctantly moved.
“Wow, I think we’re actually going to make it!” shouted Carly with a triumphant smile. “Brace yourself!”
She then floored the truck and they crashed through the enormous glass garage door, hitting several zombies staggering around on the other side. The sounds of gunfire echoed behind them as they raced away.
“Thank God,” smiled Kris. “We did it. I can’t believe it. You’re incredible!”
Carly smiled. “I told you I knew what I was doing.”
She squeezed her shoulder. “Thank you again, so much.”
“Where to now?” asked Carly.
“I need to find the rest of my family,” said Kris. “Let’s get to the old CDC building.”
7
John Doe
“Where ar
e we going?” asked Luke.
“It’s getting dark,” he answered. “We need to find a place to crash for the night. Somewhere the zombies won’t bother us.”
Luke snorted. “Well, good luck with that. I slept in the air ducts at the mini mall during the night. It was the only place I felt semi-safe.”
He had to admit that it was pretty ingenious for a young teenager. “Don’t worry, kid, we’ll find something.”
“Why don’t we just sleep in this thing?” asked Luke.
It had been a stroke of good luck when they happened upon a 2005 Jeep Cherokee with almost a full tank of gas, although he still didn’t feel it was safe enough against the zombies. Not for sleeping.
“No. The zombies can see us pretty clearly in this thing. Plus,” he said, wiping beads of sweat from his forehead, “it’s already summer and getting hot, even at night. With all of the zombies moping around, we can’t even roll the windows down, and I certainly don’t want to run the air conditioner all night in this thing. Waste of gas.”
“I suppose.”
They drove around Atlanta until Luke pointed to a small bar and casino. “What about that place?”
He stopped next to the old dive which looked like it might have been closed down before the zombie invasion. The windows were boarded up and the door was padlocked. It wasn’t luxurious, but it appeared secure.
He nodded. “Okay, let’s give it a whirl.”
They parked in the lot and hurried over to the bar where he used his ax to smash through a small basement window, and they both climbed inside. Moments later, they watched as a pair of mottled bloody feet passed by the open window.
“Almost had a situation, there,” he said.
“Good timing,” said Luke.
“Be careful where you walk, kid.”
The cobwebbed basement was dark and filled with cleaning supplies and boxes of booze. In the back were several wooden cabinets and a couple of metal chests.
“Hey, I found a flashlight,” said Luke, holding it up.
“Nice.”
Using the flashlight, they went upstairs into the casino and looked around. There were two rows of slot machines, a few blackjack tables, a money wheel, and a fully-stocked bar.
Zombie Games (Uncut) Boxed Set Page 32
