Zombie Games (Uncut) Boxed Set

by Kristen Middleton

  “Oh, my God, what is that?” gasped Kylie.

  “It’s some kind of hole,” replied Allie in shock.

  Kylie took a step back. “Yeah, but how in the heck did it get here?”

  In the center of the building, next to the rollercoaster, where there used to be concrete and ceramic tile, was a giant black hole. It was about one hundred feet wide, perfectly circular, and it almost appeared to be… pulsating.

  “It looks like it’s alive,” whispered Allie in horror.

  “It’s about time you showed up. Come closer and have a better look!” hollered Billie, who stood next to the hole with Jenny.

  The girls remained frozen.

  “Come on,” said Father Brambati. “It’s magnificent, don’t you think?”

  “This is not right,” whispered Allie. “How in the world did that hole get inside of the mall? And who in the heck made it?”

  Kylie’s heart was beating frantically, and in the back of her mind, she began to wonder if Billie was actually an alien. “I don’t know. I… I’m really scared.”

  Allie stepped closer to her friend. “Ky,” she whispered. “I think we should try and make a run for it.”

  “Me too. Uh, do you feel that?” asked Kylie, noticing the vibrations under her feet.

  “Yes,” squeaked Allie. “What’s happening?”

  “Hey, girls! Come on,” said Billie, smiling broadly. “You really have to check this thing out. I guarantee you’ve never seen anything like it!”

  The couple shoved them forward.

  “Stop, don’t touch me!” snapped Kylie, glaring back at the man. “Don’t you know how dangerous a hole like that is? Especially for someone holding a baby.”

  “Oh, you’ll be fine,” said Billie, walking toward them. “Here, I’ll even escort you over.”

  “Uh, no,” replied Allie, shaking her head vehemently. “I think we’ll pass on this, if you don’t mind. Anyway, aren’t you supposed to be taking us back to my sister?”

  Billie looked down at his watch. “Actually, her ride should be dropping her off fairly soon. Father, why don’t you watch for them?”

  “It would be my pleasure, General,” he replied, turning away.

  “General?” asked Kylie, turning to Billie.

  He smiled but didn’t answer.

  “Wait, we should go with him,” said Allie as the priest walked away.

  “No, that won’t be necessary,” he replied.

  “But, we just want to get out of this place,” said Allie, her eyes moving back to the ominous hole.

  He smiled darkly. “Don’t worry - you’ll all be leaving soon.”

  11

  Cassie

  “Ah… there you are…the girls have been waiting for you,” said Billie, his arms around Allie and Kylie’s shoulders as they stood at the entrance of the Mall Of America.

  I ran toward them. “Thank God, I was so worried about you guys!”

  “I knew you’d come,” said Allie, smiling as I pulled her into my arms and hugged her.

  “Is everyone okay?” I asked, glancing toward Billie, who was watching us.

  “Of course,” he replied.

  “He’s lying,” she whispered into my ear.

  I looked down into her face. “What?”

  “Cassie, it looks like you made it just in time,” said Billie.

  “Good,” I said, my eyes still on Allie, who looked petrified. “Hey…what’s wrong?”

  “We need to go,” she said under her breath.

  “Nonsense,” said Billie. “You need to stay. You don’t want to miss the show!”

  Before I could ask him what he meant, the ground began to shake under our feet. “What’s happening?” I gasped, grabbing both Kylie’s and Allie’s hands.

  “Ah… it’s time!” shouted Billie, a triumphant grin on his face.

  “Time… time for what?” I asked, staring at the cement, which was beginning to crack.

  “We need to go!” cried Allie, pulling me away from the building.

  “Cassie!” screamed Kylie, as the ground opened up in the parking lot we were heading toward, with a deafening roar.

  We watched frozen in terror as the granite, soil, and bedrock crumbled, forming a massive sinkhole. It widened, growing until it created a perfect circle. When it stopped, there was an eerie silence.

  “What’s happening?” I whispered in horror, looking down into the sheer blackness. “What in the hell is that?”

  “Shh … listen,” said Billie, stepping next to me. He leaned over the edge. “Can you hear it?”

  Adria!

  I could hear her crying from somewhere deep inside of the hole.

  “Adria!” I yelled, getting down to my knees.

  Her sobs grew, tearing at my heart.

  “Adria!”

  I had to try and save her!

  Determined to find a way, I stood up and turned to Billie. “You have to help me get her out of there! Tell me how to do it!”

  He sneered. “It’s too late for that little brat. Besides, I’m the reason she’s in the hole. Why would I try and get her out?”

  I poked him in the chest. “What did you do to her, Billie? She’s just a baby!”

  His eyes began to glow a bright red. Smiling evilly, he grabbed my arms, his nails digging into my skin.

  “Stop it, Billie!” hollered Allie, trying to grab his arm.

  He shoved her away and she fell to the ground, crying.

  Kylie rushed to her side. “This isn’t real, Allie. He can’t hurt your sister.”

  I stared at Kylie. “What?”

  He began to whisper. “Let the bodies hit the floor. Let the bodies hit the floor… Let the bodies hit the floor.

  Horrified, I tried pushing him away, but he was too strong. He pulled me to the edge of the hole.

  “Please, no!” I begged.

  He leaned forward and I could smell his breath - it stank of sulfur and rotten eggs. “I offer you to my lord and master. Yes indeed, you’re going to make a lovely sacrifice, my lovely virgin.”

  “I’m not a virgin!” I growled at him.

  His smile widened. “Even better!”

  “Let me go!” I hollered.

  “Okay.” He shoved me over the edge and I began to fall into the abyss.

  ***

  I’m not sure if it was the rain that woke me, or getting knocked around in the back of the pickup. Regardless, I almost peed my pants when I realized exactly where I was.

  Frightened, I sat up and stared at the road behind us as my captor raced down the highway in his pickup. Unfortunately, we were going so fast, that I knew any attempt at escape would be painful and more than likely, lethal.

  Soaked and shaking from the chill in the air, I wiped some of the rainwater from my face and tried desperately to think of a way out of the mess I’d gotten myself into. The only thing I could come up with, however, was to jump out the back when we slowed down and just run like hell. Hopefully, it would work out and the freak in the truck wouldn’t get another chance to run me down.

  I turned and faced the cab, still unable to calculate how many people were inside. The windows were so black, that I couldn’t see any shapes or silhouettes. It seemed to make everything even more… creepier.

  I shivered again and felt my teeth begin to chatter, I was so dang cold. As I pulled my legs in tighter to try and get warmer, my mountain boot hit the gun.

  Sighing in relief, I grabbed the revolver but then remembered that I’d run out of ammunition. I decided to keep the gun anyway, just in case I lucked out and found more bullets. I stuffed it into the back of my shorts and stared back at the road behind us, wondering where in the hell the assholes were taking me. I needed to get to the mall…

  It was then that I remembered bits and pieces of my dream. Even though I knew it hadn’t been real, it had been pretty scary, and for the first time in a long while, I appreciated my current situation. I could stand up to zombies and crazy people, but holes and
demons?

  I’d never have a chance against something like that.

  None of us would.

  ***

  Bryce

  “Where in the hell did that bastard go?!” hollered Bryce, slamming his fist onto the steering wheel. “He couldn’t have just vanished into thin air!”

  “Calm down,” said Tiny, who sat next to him. “We’ll find them, man.”

  He rubbed his forehead. “We saw the truck turn that last corner and then he just what – teleported out of here? This is ridiculous.”

  “You guys, I swear… I just can’t take much more of this,” muttered Kristie. “We just keep running into more trouble and I feel so damn helpless.”

  Paige squeezed her mom’s hand. “I know, mom. We all do.”

  “Well, what should we do now?” asked Bryce, feeling beaten. “They’ve obviously lost us. Hell, they could be anywhere in the city.”

  “Don’t give up, Bryce. He might be parked around here with his lights off,” said Nora.

  Bryce rubbed his forehead. “Why the hell does she have to be so damn reckless all the time? She should have stayed in the vehicle, where it was safe.”

  “Could have, should have, but as usual - didn’t,” said Paige. “That’s the way she is and you should know that by now.”

  “I guess I should. Obviously, everything I tell her goes in one ear and out the other. I never know what the hell she’s going to do next.”

  Nora chuckled. “When she climbed onto the fence and then jumped onto that dude’s truck, I couldn’t freaken believe it, man. Seriously, I’m not even that crazy. I think it stunned the hell out of the people in the truck though.”

  “Did anyone get a good look at who was in the vehicle?” asked Tiny.

  “No,” replied Nora. “I tried, but the windows were too dark.”

  “So, what now?” asked Bryce, staring off into the darkness. “To tell you the truth, I don’t know if I can leave this part of town without trying to locate her. I know it’s not fair to you guys, though. Maybe I should find another vehicle so you can head out to the mall.”

  Henry took off his hat and smoothed his hair down. “Looky here, Bryce, Cassie will be just fine. Whoever left with her has no idea what kind of a fighter that little lady is. Hell, she’ll probably kill the bastard and still find the girls before we even reach the damn mall.”

  Bryce smiled grimly. “I don’t know, Henry. She’s been so lucky up until now. I’m just afraid…”

  “Don’t think like that,” interrupted Tiny. “Now, this is Cassie we’re talking about. If anyone has a fighting chance, it’s her. Don’t start talking like that and don’t give up hope.”

  “I don’t want to,” he said. “I really don’t.”

  “Well, we’ve got to get moving,” said Henry. “Wasting time talking about this isn’t helping.”

  “Personally, I think we should look for the kids first,” said Tiny. “I hate to say it, but they need our help more than anything right now. If they’re at the mall, then we need to get our asses there before it’s too late.”

  “What’s too late?” squeaked Kristie.

  He turned around and squeezed her knee. “Just saying, babe. I’m sure they’re fine, but we need to get out there. Time’s wasting.”

  Bryce sighed and drove toward the freeway. “Yeah, I know we do, and for some reason, I’m starting to get this feeling that whoever has Cassie isn’t even in this area.”

  “She knows where we’re heading,” said Henry. “So, once she gets away, and I believe she will, you’ll see her again.”

  He wished he felt as confident as everyone else, but in his gut, he knew that Cassie was in mortal danger, and the thought of never seeing her again was killing him.

  12

  Cassie

  The rain died down, but I was still chilled to the bone. I figured that if I wasn’t killed by the people in the truck, I’d probably die of pneumonia if I didn’t get out of my wet clothes and into something dry soon. I decided that the first thing I’d do if I escaped, was to break into a vehicle and search for clothing or a blanket. For now, however, I had to bear the cold and as usual, hope that I’d survive whatever lay ahead of me. It was obvious that I’d made another dumb decision without thinking it through, and now I’d be paying for it somehow.

  At least my friends were safe.

  But Bryce, he had to be just furious with me again. If I didn’t watch myself, he’d change his mind on marrying me. That thought made my heart ache. I wasn’t sure if I could handle it if he dumped me. I wouldn’t necessarily blame him if he did, but I’d rather die than lose him; which was why I had to survive, get back to him, and prove that I could stay out of trouble. Or at least try a little harder.

  I stared down at my ring and felt tears burning in the back of my eyes. I didn’t want to die, not without getting married to the big lug. Heck, we still needed time to get to know each other. I knew which foot he preferred to kick with and that he had a helluva right hook, but I had no idea what his favorite color was, how he liked his eggs, or what his favorite food even was.

  My God, did he even like pickles?

  I closed my eyes and tried to picture his face. Thankfully, it came easily and not surprisingly, he was scowling at me.

  I smiled.

  Damn, I loved his scowl. I loved everything about my karate man. But then my thoughts drifted from him to my sister and my smile fell.

  Allie, God, she must be terrified.

  I hoped that Billie snapped out of whatever was happening to him and brought her back to my grandparents’ house. That’s what I hoped, but something inside told me that wasn’t going to happen. That something much more sinister was going on. Something also told me that I was going to be there when it went down. I hoped that I was wrong. I prayed that she and Kylie were safe and would stay that way.

  When the pickup veered off of the highway near MOA’s exit, I couldn’t believe it. Here I’d been kidnapped, but taken to the one place I really wanted to be. If I hadn’t felt so much hate for the bastard driving the truck, I’d have offered him gas money.

  As the truck slowed down to make a turn a couple of blocks from the mall, I jumped out of the back and began running through the rain. With every puddle splash, I expected to hear a squeal of tires and the roar of an engine, but, amazingly, the truck ignored me and sped away. It was odd, but then the guy was a nutcase and I knew not to really expect anything rational from someone that crazy. But, the fact that he’d driven me to Bloomington was a little unnerving.

  Pushing away thoughts of the crazy pickup driver, I continued toward the mall, slowing to a jog and then finally, my tired and undernourished body could do nothing but walk. Thirsty and famished, I stared at the restaurants near the mall and my stomach groaned. I hadn’t eaten anything for quite a while, and memories of cheeseburgers, heavy on the pickles, and strawberry malts made me want to cry. Feeling frustrated and sad, I turned my eyes away from the painful reminders of what had once been and noticed that there were zombies hovering around, some in the shadows, but most of them by the mall.

  It’s your fault that I can’t have ice cream anymore, I thought angrily as I watched a couple of zombies loitering near the entrance of a steak joint that my dad had loved. And your fault he’s gone.

  I glared at the zombies but kept walking, a little surprised that they hadn’t yet come for me.

  As I approached the street by the mall, I noticed that many of the creatures were doing their normal thing of shuffling around without reason, lost in their own little worlds, but some of them seemed to be actually watching me with a keenness that was creepy. Remembering that I was basically weaponless, I slowed down, not wanting to get too close to them; if more than two came at me at once, I’d be screwed.

  I really needed a weapon.

  Making a quick decision, I turned around and headed toward the steak joint and the two zombies still hanging around by the entrance. As I approached, they stared at me hungrily, but
made no attempt to attack me. Still, not trusting them, I kicked the nearest one in the face, sending it flying backwards, and then turned to the other zombie, a woman with knotted red hair and oozing sores all over her face.

  She stared at me, swaying.

  I stared back, scowling and ready to strike.

  The door to the restaurant swung open and someone grabbed my arm, jerking me inside before I had time to react.

  “What in the hell are you doing?” asked a big burly guy with a black beard and a patch over his left eye. He locked the door and turned to me. “Do you want to be a victim?”

  “Uh, no,” I replied, shocked.

  “Well, you could have fooled me,” he said, sizing me up. “Kids, they just don’t pay enough attention.”

  “I’m eighteen,” I protested.

  He rolled his eye. “Oh, well then you have no excuse.”

  Sighing, I turned to look at the small group of people sitting next to the bar. There were two women, I figured somewhere in their thirties, a middle-aged dark-skinned man, and a boy who appeared to be in his early teens. “Wow, I didn’t know anyone was alive around here.”

  The tall man with the beard headed back toward the bar. “If that’s what you want to call it.”

  “What’s your name, honey?” asked one of the women. She had medium-length blond hair and green haunted eyes.

  “I’m Cassie.”

  “I’m Carolyn,” she said. “That’s Lisa, and Mac, and Rob’s son, Daniel.”

  “I’m Rob,” said the bearded man, now leaning over the bar, which was lit up by candles.

  “Hi,” I answered.

  “Where’d you come from?” he asked in a softer tone.

  “It’s kind of a long story,” I replied, shivering.

  “You cold?” asked Mac, the dark-skinned man.

  “Uh, yeah. You guys wouldn’t have a blanket or some extra clothing, would you? I’m freezing.”

  “I’ll get you one of the uniforms from the back,” said Lisa, standing up. “It’s better than nothing.”