“He’s definitely more than that,” said Irene, looking up at him. “This definitely proves it.”
“I’d say so,” he replied.
“Who is it?” asked Allie.
“Your friend, Bobby,” replied Irene.
Allie stared at her in shock. “Bryce’s little brother?”
“I guess so, although we’re finding that this little boy’s family tree stretches out much farther than him,” replied Irene with a small smile.
***
“Mom,” whispered Paige. “I think we should really get out of here. See what’s going on.”
“No, we should wait,” she whispered back. “Tiny saw us go in here. He’ll let us know if and when it’s safe. Besides,” she swallowed hard, “if Lucifer really made it into the mall, I certainly don’t want to run into him.”
“Crap, don’t say that,” said Paige, looking horrified. “If that happens, we’re all done.”
“That’s why I think we should just hang out here a little longer,” said Kristie. They were hiding in a hipster store, in one of the oversized dressing rooms.
Paige frowned.
“Do you think Bobby and Cassie are okay?” whispered Kylie.
Kristie sighed. “We can only hope. Bryce was there, though. I’m sure once those flying creatures started dive-bombing everyone, he took action. That guy has some mad karate skills.”
“But what if he couldn’t help them?” asked Paige, peeking out of the dressing room.
“Let’s not go there right now,” said Kristie, rubbing her forehead. “I don’t even want to think about that.”
“I’m sorry, mom, but I just can’t stay here anymore. I feel like we’re sitting ducks. I think it’s safer to move,” said Paige. “Rejoin the others. Safety in numbers, you know?”
Kristie groaned, wishing she had a cigarette. “I don’t know, Paige…”
Patting Adria’s back, Kylie burped her. She’d just finished a bottle of formula and was gurgling and content, oblivious to the horrors in the other parts of the mall. Fortunately, before the scene with Nora and Bobby, they’d found a shop that had baby supplies, including formula and diaper rash cream. “I’m kind of agreeing with Paige. We have to find out what happened,” said Kylie, wiping Adria’s mouth.
“Fine,” said Kristie, standing up. “I’ll go see what’s happening. You two stay in here until I get back.”
“Oh no,” said Kylie. “You’re not leaving us again. Every time someone says that, they go missing.”
“She’s right,” said Paige. “We need to stick together.”
Kristie sighed. “Okay, let’s go. But you girls do exactly what I say. When I say run, you don’t hesitate or ask questions. Got it?”
“Yep,” said Paige.
“Don’t worry,” replied Kylie. “I’ll be running.”
“Here, let me take Adria,” said Kristie. “And… find yourself a clean shirt, Kylie.”
Kylie looked down at her T-shirt. “Oh, yeah… I forgot about that.”
“Pee stains went out last season,” said Paige with a smirk. She walked out of the changing room and up to a rack of shirts. “Here,” she said, tossing her a T-shirt with a beagle puppy on the front. “This will work.”
Kylie ran back into the changing room and less than thirty seconds, came out wearing the clean shirt.
“We should come back here if we survive,” said Kristie, eyeing the racks of clothes. “They’ve got a lot of interesting stuff. Quite the mix.”
“Yeah, I just love this halter shirt,” replied Kylie, holding up a tie-dyed one. “What do you think, mom?”
“Too revealing for a girl your age,” she replied, eyeing a vintage purple and green scarf.
“I’ll wear a jacket with it,” said Kylie.
“Come on, you guys,” said Paige, leading the way out of the store. “No time for this.”
“Hey, don’t leave without us,” ordered Kristie. She glanced sideways at Kylie and lowered her voice. “I think she’s worried about Justice.”
“And Cassie,” replied Kylie, picking up the diaper bag.
“Yes, and Cassie,” said Kristie, snatching the scarf.
“Mom?” said Kylie, nodding toward the scarf.
She wrapped it around her neck. “If this is my last day on the planet, I may as get myself a parting gift.” She grabbed a beige knit-cap. “Here, I’ll take this for Paige. So she doesn’t feel left out.”
The corridors were quiet by the time they made it back to the center of the mall. When they reached the hole, they found Bryce and Henry, staring somberly into it.
Paige stopped and stared in horror. “What’s happened?”
Bryce turned toward her, his face filled with grief.
“Bryce?”
He shook his head and walked away.
“Nora pushed all three of them in,” mumbled Henry, his eyes watery. He removed his hat and hung his head low. “Just like that, they were gone.”
Kristie closed her eyes. “Oh, God.”
Paige backed away from the hole. “No… no, I don’t believe it!”
“It’s true,” said Henry. “I wish it weren’t.”
“Paige, honey, come here,” said Kristie, handing over Adria to Kylie. She then walked over to Paige and pulled her into her arms. “Oh, baby. I know she was your best friend.”
“I… I just can’t believe it,” said Paige in a muffled voice. “Cassie, Bobby, Nora, and Billie. All of them… gone.”
Kristie patted her on the back, her own tears running down her cheeks. “I know, I can’t believe it.”
“Someone has to find Allie,” said Kylie, staring at the hole in despair. She turned to them. “She needs to know.”
“Tiny and Justice went to go search for her,” said Bryce in a hollow voice. “She’s supposed to be at Nordstrom’s.”
“She’s going to be heartbroken,” said Kristie. She wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand. “That poor kid.”
“Bryce, I’m so sorry about Bobby,” said Henry. “I almost thought that…”
“What?” asked Bryce.
“That he had some kind of power. That he could stop what was happening,” he replied.
“You mean that he was the ‘Chosen One’? Well, I can assure you, he was just a little boy. A sweet little kid that didn’t deserve to die,” said Bryce.
Henry nodded. “Seems you’re right. Looks like that was all talk.”
Kristie released Paige and then walked over to the hole. She stared down into it. “The worst thing is, that it was all for naught. They all died in vain.”
“Yes, but there is one thing we can agree on,” said Paige. “That Travis was a demon and he was responsible for all of this.”
“We can’t argue that,” said Kristie. “That certainly wasn’t Nora doing those things. She had to have been possessed.”
Bryce didn’t answer.
“What’s going on?”
They all turned to find Belinda walking toward them holding a gun. Her blond hair was sticking out of her ponytail and there was mascara under her eyelashes.
“Belinda,” said Henry, moving toward her. “Thank goodness you’re okay.”
“I’ve been better. What in God’s name is that?” she said, staring at the hole.
“It’s a hole to Hell,” said Henry.
Her jaw dropped. “What? You’ve got to be kidding?”
“He’s right,” said Kristie. “At least that’s what we think it is.”
“Then it is true… everything he said.” She stared pensively into the distance and scratched the side of her head. “Have any of you seen Bobby?”
Bryce opened his mouth and then turned his head away, overwhelmed with emotion.
“He took off on me,” she said, her eyes filling with tears. “Dammit, I’d fallen asleep and he snuck out. I’m so sorry, Bryce. I feel horrible.”
Kristie walked to Belinda and put an arm around her. “We need to talk.”
“Uh, sure. Did yo
u see him?” she asked.
Bryce nodded. “Yes.”
As Kristie began explaining what had happened, the ground under their feet began to shake.
“What’s happening?” hollered Belinda.
A bright red light poured out of the hole and they all rushed back from the hole.
“What’s happening?” asked Kylie, crying.
A rush of fire and lava spewed up from the hole’s depths, filling the circle completely.
“Look,” gasped Paige, pointing toward the molten bubbles.
A giant face, its lips twisting in rage, appeared before them in the flames. Two horns protruded from the beast’s head, its eyes were pitch black, and it had a forked tongue, which slid out of its mouth, licking the earth.
“Mommy!” screamed Kylie, terrified.
Kristie, in shock, pushed Kylie and Adria behind her, shielding them from the horror.
Giant fingers made of fire grasped the edge of the hole as the beast struggled to raise itself up. As its shoulders began to rise above the edge, a bright white light sprang out from beneath the demon.
“Let’s get out of here!” hollered Bryce, backing away.
The beast roared in anger as it struggled to free itself from the hole, but the light became brighter, now filling the room. “No…!” it growled.
Henry grabbed Paige, who was frozen in shock. “Get back!”
“Look!” pointed Paige, staring up at the ceiling.
A beam of light from above shot down and hit the demon in the head. It screamed in anguish and was pushed down into the hole, along with the fire.
“Whoa!” said Kylie, peeking around Kristie.
As the beam of light continued to pour into the hellish abyss, there was an ear-splitting rumble from deep inside.
Henry walked over and stared over the edge. He gasped. “I think it’s filling, by golly!”
“Let me see!” said Kylie.
“No, don’t stay back,” replied Bryce. “You too, Henry. Get back.”
Henry backed up and they all watched in stunned silence as the hole began to close in on itself, with granite and rocks rising from the core.
“It really is closing!” cried Kristie, her eyes transfixed.
When the hole was completely filled, everything became silent and the earth grew still.
“What in the hell just happened?” asked Belinda.
“Bobby,” said Paige, turning to her. “I think it was Bobby.”
“What do you mean?” asked Belinda.
“Bobby and Cassie were pulled into the hole,” said Bryce, in a husky voice.
Belinda’s eyes filled with tears. She smiled sadly. “He did it. He succeeded. Just like he said he would.”
Bryce nodded and wiped his face.
She walked to him and gave him a hug. “He loved you so much, you know,” she whispered. “So much. So did Cassie.”
He let out a choked sob.
She stepped away from him and touched his cheek. “Bryce, honey, this was his destiny. It was his calling.”
“As the ‘Chosen One’?” he asked, his lips trembling.
She nodded. “Yes. When he told me, I didn’t want to believe it. I loved that little boy, Bryce. I really did. But, he has always known that this would be his fate. He’s known it his entire life.”
Bryce cleared his throat and sniffed. “He did?
“Yes, and he was so proud and honored. You could see it in his eyes when he told me.”
“What about Cassie?” asked Paige, staring at the fresh dirt in the center of the mall. “Was this always her destiny, too?”
Belinda sighed. “Maybe. I don’t know.”
“What happened to the hole?!” hollered Allie, rushing down the escalator followed by her grandparents.
“Oh hell,” said Henry, rubbing a hand over his face.
Kristie wiped the tears from her face and walked toward Allie. “Honey, we need to talk to you.”
Allie froze and looked around. “Where’s my sister?”
“What’s happened?” asked Steve, stopping next to Allie.
“Where’s Cassie?!” squeaked Allie, seeing the looks of horror on everyone’s faces. She turned to Bryce. “Where is she?”
“She’s gone,” said Kristie, pulling her into her arms. “I’m so sorry, honey.”
“What do you mean?” she asked, pulling away to look into her face.
Kristie licked her lips and smiled sadly. “She was pulled into the hole. With Bobby and Nora.”
“Oh, my God,” gasped Irene, her eyes filling with tears.
“The hole? Where is it?” asked Steve, looking toward the fresh dirt.
Henry walked over and explained what had happened while Kristie held Allie, trying to console her.
“And then it closed up,” said Henry. “It was a miracle, though. Whether it was Bobby or God himself, the damn thing closed up and it’s gone.”
Steve wrapped his arms around Irene and they held each other, mourning quietly.
“Has anyone seen Justice or Tiny?” asked Paige.
Allie shook her head.
“No,” sniffled Irene. She cleared her throat. “We found Allie and haven’t run into anyone else.”
“I’ll go look for them,” said Bryce. “I need to get out of here for a while.”
“I’ll come with you,” said Henry, picking up his gun.
“Me too,” said Paige.
“Paige -,” said Kristie.
“Mom, quit coddling me,” she cut in. “I’m not a baby.”
“Just like Cassie used to say,” said Allie sadly.
Kristie swore under her breath. “Fine. Just be careful. We’ve lost enough already.”
“I know,” said Paige, following Bryce and Henry.
“Oh hell, let’s follow them. There’s no reason to wait here anymore,” said Kristie.
“Speaking of babies,” said Kylie, holding Adria. “Can someone take her for a while? My arm is killing me.”
Irene stepped forward. “Sure, I’ll take her. So, this is the one everyone thought was the ‘Chosen One’?”
Kylie handed her over. “Yes.”
Irene stared down into the baby’s face. “Poor thing. This must have been a horrible experience for her.”
“She did really good,” said Kylie. “I can’t believe it.”
“What’s her name?” asked Steve.
Kylie smiled sadly. “Her name is Adria. Adria Cassandra Wild.”
Allie wiped her tears and smiled. “You’re naming her after Cassie?”
Kylie smiled back. “Yes. That way you’ll always still have part of your sister. The Wild One.”
“Even in death, Cassie will always be a part of your life,” said Irene. “You can count on that, Allie.”
Allie hugged her. “I know.”
25
Cassie
Bobby?
Yes.
Where are we? Why is it still so dark?
Open your eyes.
I opened them and blinked in confusion. To say that it was not at all what I expected was an understatement.
“Bobby!” I hollered, looking around in astonishment.
Instead of where I thought I’d still be, in the fiery pit of Hell, I was in a lush green meadow, with flowers, blue skies, and birds chirping in the distance.
Have I died?
Technically, yes.
I certainly didn’t feel any different. “Where are you?” I yelled, twirling around.
“Sorry,” he replied, stepping around me.
“Don’t sneak up on me like that!” I gasped, still pretty freaked out. “This is… where are we?”
“Where do you think?” he asked with a twinkle in his eye.
I looked around again and smiled. “I don’t know… this place is unreal. I mean, it’s kind of taking my breath away, now that I think about it. It’s just so beautiful and perfect. Like paradise.”
“It should take your breath away, Cassie. It’s your idea of Heav
en.”
My eyes widened. “Am I in Heaven?”
“Not exactly,” he turned. “Look behind you.”
I turned around and was stunned to see a glittery golden bridge leading to a rainbow of beautiful lights.
“Beyond that rainbow you’ll find the real Heaven.”
Tears came to my eyes. I placed a hand to my lips as a rush of emotions spread through me. It was as if I could actually feel the love emanating from the other side of the bridge. It was strong. Comforting. Exhilarating. Yearning to get closer, I took a step toward it.
“Wait,” said Bobby touching my arm.
Reluctantly, I turned back to look at him. On the outside, he still looked like Bryce’s little brother, but I was now aware that he was so much more. Brother, son, protector, and the one who had been chosen to outwit Lucifer on earth. “Who are you, really?” I asked.
His eyes softened. “I am someone that God chose to teach Lucifer that he is powerless. That he will always lose in the end as will those who fall under his spell.”
My lips curled up. “Because good always conquers evil?”
“Yes.”
“So, he chose you for this lesson?”
“Yes, but I would have volunteered, wholeheartedly.”
I stared at him in awe. “Are you the son of God, like Jesus?”
“In a way, we are all his children.”
“Are you an angel?”
“Let’s just say that I am a very old… soul. Although you know me as a young boy, I’m…” he began to change before my eyes, until he stood as full-grown man, possibly in his twenties. He kind of reminded me of Bryce, only his hair was long and he had a beard. “Whomever I decide to be.”
“Travis kept calling you the ‘Chosen One’.”
“And I am. But not who he thought I was. He thought I was the second coming of Christ.”
“But you weren’t?”
He shook his head. “No. Nobody knows when that will happen. Only God, and he certainly won’t give it away to Lucifer.”
“Was Travis and Lucifer really responsible for the zombies?”
“Travis was sent to Earth by Lucifer, because somehow he believed that the ‘End of Days’ would be soon upon us. Travis tampered with the vaccine, turning people into, what you call, zombies.”
Zombie Games (Uncut) Boxed Set Page 79
