“You haven’t seen me in action,” I replied, and then ran toward another kiosk, this one a calendar shop.
“Well, look who we have here?” chuckled Dwayne, popping his head around the side of the booth.
My heart sank as he raised the gun and pointed it at my face. “It’s a shame, sweetheart. I really thought you and I could have had ourselves a good time the other day.”
“Wait,” I squeaked, raising my hands slowly to my waist. I un-tucked my shirt.
He chuckled. “What are you doing, brown eyes? Changed your mind?”
Holding my breath, I lifted my T-shirt up and flashed him.
His eyes widened but before he could say anything, I heard a loud blast and he fell forward.
“You’re supposed to show all the goods when you flash someone, Wild,” said Henry, his gun still smoking. “Not just that little training bra.”
My face turned bright pink and I pulled my shirt back down right before Bryce arrived.
“Everyone okay?” he asked, out of breath.
“Not everyone,” said Henry, spitting his chew on the dead man’s back. “Looks like he got more than he was expecting with Wild here.”
Bryce put his arm around my shoulders. “You okay?”
I nodded.
Henry smiled. “Bryce, what were you doing when she was whipping out those headlights of hers?”
“I was cornered by a couple of zombies,” answered Bryce. “What in the hell are you talking about? What headlights?”
“Nothing,” I said, shooting Henry a dirty look. “Look, we need to find Allie and Kylie. Justice!”
“Right here,” he said, walking toward us with Paige.
“Where are they?” I asked.
He looked up toward the top floor. “If they’re still here, that’s where they’d be.”
“What do you mean, still here?” I asked.
“He’s using the girls to find the baby,” said Justice.
“What baby?” asked Paige.
“He called him ‘The Chosen One’.”
“Whatever,” said Bryce. “This Travis sounds like a real fruit-loop. Let’s go look for the girls.”
“One thing,” said Justice, halting him. “This guy has powers – some kind of supernatural ones. Don’t underestimate him, and don’t let him touch you.”
“I don’t intend to,” said Bryce, moving around him toward the escalators.
“Neither did I,” replied Justice, rushing after him.
“He ain’t touchin’ me, neither,” said Henry. “No siree… I don’t go for any of that flim-flam stuff.”
“Flim-flam?” asked Paige.
He adjusted his hat. “Yeah, you know… the freaky-deaky kind that usually happens in the ‘john’ at one of those rainbow bars. Hell, you go in to take a dump, and the noise in the next stall isn’t from someone pushing one out, it’s from someone pushing one in.”
I groaned.
“You’re a sick man, Henry,” mumbled Paige.
“Why, ‘cause I tell it like it is?” He lifted the shotgun and waved it toward the escalators. “Come on now, let’s go take care of business.”
29
Allie and Kylie
Travis ushered the girls across the mall and down one of the emergency stairwells when the gunfire began.
“You try anything,” he’d warned before they’d left the club, “I’ll burn your flesh from the bone while you’re still breathing.” Then he raised his hand and a small ball of fire appeared above his fingertips. As they stared at the flames, an image of both girls screaming in agony appeared inside of the fire. He smiled. “I advise you not to test me.”
When they stepped outside of Macy’s, a dark SUV was waiting for them. The driver, an older man with jet-black hair and glasses, stepped out of the vehicle and held the door open for the girls.
“Get in,” demanded Travis, when they hesitated.
Both girls glanced back toward the mall entrance and then their eyes met.
Help was so close.
“Don’t even think about trying to escape,” warned Travis, forming another ball of fire. He rolled it in his hands until it grew larger and then flung it at a small group of zombies shuffling toward them. The flames consumed them, although they kept moving. It wasn’t until Travis whispered something that the zombies halted and continued to burn until they were just piles of ash. “You see, girls, the fires of Hell are hotter than anything up here,” he said with a nod of approval. He turned back to the girls. “Now, get in before you find out just how hot.”
The girls quickly got into the backseat and Travis slipped in front with the driver.
“Where to?” asked the short little man.
Travis smiled darkly. “Over the river and through the woods, to grandmother’s house we go.”
***
Bryce
“They’ve already left,” said Justice, staring at the empty beer bottles left on the bar. “This is the last place that I saw him with your sisters.”
“Where do you think they went?” asked Bryce.
“I have no idea,” said Justice.
“Isn’t it obvious?” I said. “He’s looking for a baby.”
“Adria,” mumbled Paige.
“He’s looking for a baby boy,” said Justice.
“Maybe he’s changed his mind,” said Henry.
Bryce sighed. “Guys, how would he even know about Adria?”
“In a simple world, he wouldn’t,” I said. “But things are happening – crazy, totally unpredictable things that we obviously can’t explain.”
Henry cleared his throat. “I agree. You know me – I’m older than dirt, stubborn as a mule, and very much set in my ways. But even I have to admit, there’s some strange stuff happening and we can’t always go with what’s rational.”
“Let’s head back to my grandparents’ house,” I said. “Maybe we’ll get lucky and find them there.”
***
Nora
Nora sat on the porch, rocking, as she stared blindly toward the street. Memories, both good and bad, of her childhood flitted through her mind, mostly of the times she’d spent with her grandmother when she was little and her father was on the road.
As a child, she’d never noticed that Grams had been different, or her father, for that matter. To her, she’d always been the smiling, robust woman with the bright blue eyes and silvery black hair always tied back in a loose bun. The kind and loving woman whom she used to dance and sing with, the person who had always encouraged her to speak her mind and not let anyone push her around. She’d tried teaching her the importance of being independent and brave, and to live life without regret. Unfortunately, Grams had preached it, but had never been able to follow her own advice. She’d kept that from Nora, and it wasn’t until she’d started school that she’d first glimpsed her grandmother’s phobia of the world outside. Sadly, now everyone had to fear the world outside and the nightmares walking the streets, both during the day and night. It was as if Grams had known these days would come.
Thunder rumbled above and Nora leaned forward, wiping away stray tears. Being a pansy wasn’t going to help her bring her family back, and it certainly wasn’t going to do anything for Billie, either.
Sighing, she stood up and turned toward the door when the sound of an engine caught her attention.
A Suburban.
It slowed and then came to a complete stop in front of the house, just as the rain started.
She ignored the drops and walked toward the vehicle with her hand on the ax. When the back door opened up and she saw the familiar face, she sighed in relief.
“Allie! Oh, my God, we’ve been looking all over for you. Is Kylie with you?”
Allie nodded and then both girls slid out of the back.
“Who’s with you?” asked Nora, trying to catch a glimpse of the two people in front. The windows were so dark, she could barely see their silhouettes.
Neither girl said anything, just stared at he
r with fear in their eyes.
Not good.
“Um, why don’t you girls run into the house and I’ll just thank your ride personally.”
Just then, the front passenger door opened up and the dirt-bag, Travis, stepped out of the SUV.
“Well, well, well… we meet again,” he laughed. “How delightful. Well, I’ll bet you didn’t expect this happy reunion when you woke up this morning.”
“Get into the house, girls,” said Nora, raising her voice. “Now!”
“Tsk, tsk,” said Travis, walking up to her as the girls started running toward the porch. “I don’t know about you, but I don’t think that’s the right way to greet someone who has just returned your friends.”
“You asshole,” she growled, raising her ax. “Get the hell out of here or I’ll chop off one of your hands and make sure you never start another fire as long as you live.”
“Oh, scary,” he giggled, mocking her with his hands waving in the air.
“You should be scared, you prick.”
His smile fell. “You’re beginning to bore me, girl and my time is valuable. I think it’s time for you to meet your maker, unless he’s given up on your pathetic soul.”
Her rage got the best of her. Just when she was about to take a swing, the sound of groans and snarls caught their attention and they both turned toward the street.
“Oh, my God,” she gasped in horror.
Hundreds of zombies had turned the corner of the street and were moving toward them through the pouring rain.
Travis smiled and clapped his hands. “Ah… some of my lovely minions have arrived to assist me. Oh, this is going to be fun to watch.”
Nora turned and ran to the front door when Tiny opened it from the inside.
“What’s happening?” he asked, taking a step outside. “Who’s that guy?”
“He’s not what he appears.” She pointed toward the zombies. “And check that out, we’ve got some major problems.”
He swore and then turned around. “Kristie! Get my gun!”
“Oh, you’re going to need more than that,” chuckled Travis, stepping onto the porch.
Furious, Nora turned around and launched herself at Travis.
“Foolish mortal,” he growled, catching her by the throat. “You just don’t learn, do you?”
Nora’s face turned red as he lifted her into the air and flung her down the steps and onto the grass.
Stunned, Tiny rushed Travis, but found himself slammed back into the door with such force, that he slid down to his butt.
“What in the hell is going on out here?!” hollered Kristie, now standing over him by the doorway. “Oh, my God, Nora, are you okay?” She looked down at Tiny. “What the hell are you doing, Tiny? Your jeans are getting soaked.”
“Get in the house, Kristie,” he replied hoarsely.
Nora stood up and grabbed her ax. “That’s it. I’m not playing nice anymore. You’re going down, freak.”
“You can’t hurt me, girl,” scoffed Travis. “Look, people, just give me the infant and this will all go away.”
Tiny stood up and grabbed the gun out of Kristie’s hands. “That’s it, brother, get the hell off of this property or I’ll shoot your ass to the curb.”
Travis smiled. “Tell you what – I will leave and even take my army with me if you give up the child.”
Kristie and Tiny stared at each other and then at the large crowd of zombies that were nearing the edge of the grass.
Kristie looked at Travis. “Your army?”
He turned toward the zombies and shrugged. “Yeah, I know, they aren’t exactly the most pristine of soldiers, but they’re all I have at the moment.”
Tiny raised the gun. “Listen, I don’t know what the hell is going on here, but you’d better turn it around and get back into that SUV.”
Travis sighed. “Very well. I guess we’re going to have to do things the messy way. No worries, though. I always enjoy watching other people’s blood being spilled.”
“From where I’m standing, it looks like yours is the only one that’s going to be spilled,” said Tiny, cocking the gun. “Now, move it.”
“Tiny, with your determination and biceps, I’m quite certain that you’d make an impressive assistant, since the position appears to be open again. Tell me,” he wrinkled his nose, “Are you a noble man?”
“Damn straight.”
“So I take it you’re a Christian? A believer?”
“Of God? Certainly. Just like I believe you’re going to be meeting him very soon if you don’t get your ass off of this porch.”
“Pity. Well,” he said, turning around and lifting his hand in the air. “Let the bloodshed commence!”
The zombies, who’d been eerily waiting on the street, lurched forward toward the house.
30
Cassie
“Lord Almighty, would you look at that?!” gasped Henry as we turned the corner to my grandparents’ street. Hundreds of zombies were gathered around the house, trying to get in, and there was a black SUV parked in front of the house.
“That guy is definitely after Adria,” I said, holding on to the seat as Bryce whipped around the block to the back alley.
“We have to get them out of that house before they find a way in,” said Henry. “There’s too many zombies.”
We pulled up to the garage and all of us jumped out of the van clutching our weapons.
“Here,” said Bryce, tossing Justice a wrench. “You’re going to need it.”
“Thanks.”
I threw open the gate by the garage, ran down the concrete steps with Paige, and rushed to the back door just as the zombies broke through the side gate.
“Wild!” hollered Bryce. “Get into the house!”
The back door was locked and I began pounding on it. “Kristie! Tiny!”
“Get back, you creeps!” yelled Paige, swinging her bat at the zombies barreling toward us. As the metal hit pay-dirt, I could hear Bryce and Henry emptying their shotguns into the crowd of dead.
“Oh, thank God!” cried Kristie, swinging the door open.
“Stand back, girls!” hollered Tiny as he ran past us with an iron fireplace poker toward the zombies.
“We have to get Adria out of here,” I said to Kristie as she pulled me and Paige into the kitchen.
“I know,” she said. “There’s a crazy lunatic out front who wants to take her away.”
I looked past Kristie at Nora, who held Adria in her arms. “Is it Travis?”
“It sure is. Don’t worry,” said Nora. “There is no way in hell that I’m letting that monster have Adria.”
More gunshots from outside.
“I have to get back out there and help kill those zombies,” I said. “You guys get the baby ready for travel. Something tells me we don’t have a lot of time.”
“Cassie!”
I turned to find my sister running toward me. She flung herself into my arms and I squeezed her tightly.
“What were you thinking?” I said, blinking back tears. “We could have lost you! Where’s Kylie?”
“Right here,” said Kylie, stepping into the kitchen with a bag. “I grabbed some diapers and things for Adria.”
“Hi, Kylie,” said Paige, giving her a quick hug. “You okay?”
She nodded. “Yeah, now that we’re with you guys. Mom, we have to leave before that demon takes Adria away.”
Kristie sighed. “He’s not a demon.” She looked at me. “She keeps insisting that weirdo outside is some kind of demon.”
I bit my lower lip. “Actually, I’m starting to think he is, too.”
She looked at me like I was insane. “What?”
“They’re right, mom. I mean, seriously, you wouldn’t believe the things that we’ve seen and heard about him. Evidently, Travis, this demon or whatever he is, believes that Adria might be the ‘Chosen One’,” said Paige.
“The ‘Chosen One’? Chosen for what?” asked Kristie, walking over to the baby.<
br />
“Chosen to save the world,” replied Kylie, stepping closer to Nora. “The one who’s going to defeat Satan and save our souls.”
Adria grinned as if she knew what we were talking about and we all stared at her.
Kristie cleared her throat. “Um –”
Just then, we heard a loud crash from the front of the house.
“Oh, my God, the zombies have already gotten in!” hollered Paige.
“Oh, my God!” mimicked Travis, walking through the kitchen door. “Whatever will we do?!”
The baby stared at him, her lip began to tremble, and then she started to wail.
“Out, Demon!” hollered Kristie, crossing her fingers together to form a “T”.
“Seriously?” cried Travis, roaring with laughter.
“Get Adria out the back, quickly!” I yelled to Nora.
“Wow, would you look at this,” said Travis, staring at all of us. “I’m kind of outnumbered here by women. I think we’d better remedy this situation.”
He then snapped his fingers and Billie, who was no longer restrained, stumbled through the kitchen door.
“Billie!” cried Nora, reaching one of her hands toward him.
He didn’t answer.
I stared at my new friend in horror, realizing that something was very wrong. Earlier today he’d been slightly pale but now his face was ashen, his eyes unfocused.
“Grab the child,” ordered Travis.
Billie lurched toward Nora and we all tried blocking his path.
“Stop it, Billie!” I yelled, trying to push him back.
He growled and began snapping his teeth at me.
“Oh hell, just destroy them,” demanded the demon.
I stared into Billie’s eyes in horror and realized that he was truly gone. Nothing remained but the zombie who’d taken over his body.
“No!” cried Nora, noticing it too. The despair in her face broke my heart.
“Nora, get Adria out of here!” I cried, as Kristie and I tried holding Billie’s face away from my skin. “The girls, too!”
With a choked sob, Nora ran through the back of the house, followed by Kylie and Allie.
“That’s it,” growled Travis. “Finish these three and meet me out back.”
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