He nodded, walked over to his car, and popped opened the trunk. He grabbed a big black blanket and handed it to Grandma who wrapped me up in it.
“There. Now you’ll stay nice and warm.” She then threw her arms around me. “Dean! Are you okay?”
I squeezed her in a big hug. “I’m fine, and I’m so glad to see you.”
Her eyes widened. “What happened? You’re covered in blood. Are you hurt? I have a first aid kit in the bathroom.”
“It’s not mine,” I whispered. “I’ll tell you all about it later. I just need the truth right now. Are they...dead?”
“Who?”
“Jackie and the others. Kirk showed me a Jeep that they blew up, said she and some others died in the explosion.”
Sadness washed over her face. A shiver shot down my spine. And I knew that maybe Kirk was telling the truth after all. I swallowed hard as I pondered. If I found out they really did die, I was going back to find Kirk. I’d make him pay! And I didn’t care if I died trying.
“Yes, a group was killed,” she said.
My stomach clenched. “Oh gosh. Nick? Val?” I asked, fearing the answer. I loved my siblings so much and couldn’t bear the thought of living without them. “Is Jackie alive?” I asked. “How about Lucas, Claire, Kate, and Asia?”
She looked up at me. “They’re okay. It wasn’t your group. They were volunteers from the next town. Some of their people were kidnapped, too, so they wanted to help.”
“I’m so sorry,” I said. “I feel so bad for their loss.”
“I’m sorry, too, but they got out a few of their people in a third truck.”
“Who were they?”
“Sally, John, and Rick.”
“I met them once, but never really talked to them. I had no idea they were kidnap victims too.”
Her face beamed. “Nick, Asia, Kate, Lucas, Jackie, and Claire are all alive.”
Steven smiled. “Yeah, they’re all here. Let’s go tell them you’re back.”
They’re alive!
Happiness flooded through me. I collapsed to my knees and began to sob.
Grandma knelt down next to me and rubbed my back, comforting me.
“I-I don’t even know what to say,” I mumbled. “I thought...” I sniffled and began to tremble, overwhelmed with emotion. “I thought they could all be dead because of me. I wasn’t sure. I thought Kirk was playing mind games. But then I thought, what if he wasn’t? What if they were dead? You wouldn’t believe the things that ran through my mind.”
“It’s okay,” Steven said. “Kirk’s a liar. He was just trying to torment and manipulate you.”
“Dean!” I heard a beautiful voice call out behind me.
I glanced up and turned and saw Jackie screaming hysterically for me. I scrambled to my feet, raced toward her, and embraced her in a long hug. “Kirk told me—”
She touched my face and shushed me. “Baby, he was just playing mind games with you.”
“I didn’t want to believe him.”
Val screamed as she raced toward me. She hugged me as she wept. I was so overwhelmed by the tearful reunion.
When Nick came down, he gave me a bear hug, followed by Lucas.
“You got outta there just in time, little brother,” Nick said.
“Personally, I’m a little pissed,” Lucas said. “We’ve been planning to crash that party again tonight, and I was kinda lookin’ forward to it.”
“You would be,” Val said. “No rest for the brainless.”
I laughed at their banter as everyone else came over to greet me. They couldn’t believe I escaped. The girls wouldn’t stop hugging me, and Nick wanted to hear all about it, hanging on my every word. They couldn’t believe my story of escape to freedom.
“Lucas told us all about the zombie minefield,” Kate said. “That oughtta be a Hollywood script...or at least an Xbox game.”
Tears ran down Jackie’s face. “I was so worried. I couldn’t sleep or eat. Nobody could console me.”
I hugged her. “It’s okay. We’re all back together now, and that’s all that matters.” I held her tight and she wrapped her arms around me.
Nick and Val were still shaken up about the entire abduction. Nick wanted to leave right away and make our way back to Ohio. “If those nuts decide to come lookin’ for you, we won’t be able to fight that many,” he said.
“I agree,” Lucas said, and Asia and Kate agreed wholeheartedly.
Val hugged me. “Don’t ever scare me like that ever again,” she said, her voice wavering. “I didn’t know where you were or what happened. We were so crazy with worry. I already lost Max, and I’m not about to lose you.”
“Just add Kirk to our long list of lunatics,” I said.
“If we hadn’t found that guy, the one they left for dead,” Kate said, “we would’ve had no idea where you were.”
Claire nodded. “It was a lucky break, that’s for sure.”
“Even if you didn’t find us, we would’ve escaped eventually,” Asia said assuredly.
“We got you out of there sooner,” Nick winked.
“How did things get so crazy?” Val said.
I hugged her. “I’m so sorry about Max.”
“Thanks,” she whispered. ”At least he’s in a better place, and he was brave to the end.” She was silent for a moment, then said, “My life won’t be the same without him.”
We chatted for a little bit, and I tried to comfort my sister as best I could. As much as it pained me that Max wasn’t with us anymore, and as difficult as it had been to watch Jim die, it felt good to be back with my friends and family.
“Let’s say our goodbyes,” Nick said, “and then we’re outta here tomorrow first light. Is that okay with everybody?”
We all nodded. I’d had enough of Fairport and was ready to move on. It was time to get the cure in the right hands and to find out if the rest of our family was still okay.
* * *
I bathed, washed my hair, and threw out my bloodstained clothes. Claire and Jackie brought me clean clothes from my dresser. Around ten p.m., we all gathered around the fire for the last time. Rachel, Steven, and Ed joined us. We talked and laughed for hours. Rachel and Steven told everyone about our sewer adventures. They also thanked me for risking my life and helping to save Rachel.
We talked about everything and Lucas kept telling his lame jokes. Kate laughed and I knew how much she actually enjoyed them. Nick wrapped his arm around Claire and Sparkles cuddled in her lap. Lucas cracked another joke and Nick let out a long, deep laugh. When my brother loosened up and wasn’t being all drill sergeant on me, he could be a nice guy. I liked seeing this side of my brother. I wish he was like this all the time. Maybe if he had a normal life, he would be.
Sitting on the couch in front of the warm fire, laughing, and having a good time was nice. And for just one moment, I felt normal. Spending time together and hanging out like this was something special and I enjoyed every minute of it.
That night, I slept better than I had in weeks. The next morning, I walked all around the town and said my farewells to the good residents of Fairport. I’d met some special people there, people who had really touched my life. I would never forget Grandma and her colorful sweaters and that delicious birthday cake she’d made for me. Max was gone, but he had trained them and organized them well, and they would survive. Z and his gang had been eliminated, Charlie was dead, and the hybrids were destroyed. The town was still protected by the inexplicable barrier. It was of great comfort to know that Fairport would be just fine without us, because the people there had fought so hard to live, and they deserve to do just that.
I went back upstairs and looked at Lucas, who had his arm around Kate. “Where’s Val?”
“She’s outside,” Kate said. “She’s still pretty upset about Max. I figured she might want some alone time before we take off.”
I grabbed a bottle of water.
“Hold up,” Lucas said. “We gotta go easy on those. We don’t
have many left.”
“I’m sure Val can use one,” I retorted.
He didn’t even fight me. “Sure. Of course.”
I threw my coat on and went outside to where Val was sitting on a bench, shivering in her black jacket. I handed her the bottle, and she thanked me. I wanted to say something, but I couldn’t pull the words together. She was so sad, and I didn’t know how to comfort her. In that way, I was quite like my big brother. “I-I’m not sure what to say,” I admitted. “I’m so sorry this happened. We’re all devastated. This community won’t be the same without Max.”
“Yeah, well, fate likes to screw me over. I should be getting used to it.”
“You can’t think that way. You—”
“You have no idea of the pain I’m going through right now. You’ve never lost anyone close to you.”
“I thought I lost Jackie, so I do know what you’re feeling. I have been there myself.”
“Maybe, but you got her back. You can still have your happily-ever-after. I’m the queen of tragedy. It just follows me wherever I go. I must be cursed.”
“It’s the world we live in. It steals the people we love.”
“I’m in such a dark place right now. When I lost my fiancé and family, I didn’t think it could get any worse, but it did. I lost my neighbors and friends one by one. When a whole group of my friends was killed at once, I was devastated. One of them made it back to my house, died while she was there, turned, then killed my dogs. I had to put her down. I lost my job, my house, my identity. It’s like my whole life was just...erased, like none of it mattered. But it mattered to me.”
“That must’ve been hard,” I said.
“Well, I had a small ray of hope when I met Kyle. We had this...connection, and I hadn’t felt that way about anyone since Travis died. We were so close to the island, but then I was bitten by a zombie in the water when I was trying to untie the boat. I thought I was dead. Kyle was ripped away from me, along with Sammy and Jenny. It’s so Shakespearean. They all think I’m dead.”
“Well, now you can tell them you’re not.”
She sighed. “Kyle was the love of my life, but he was ripped away from me. I had to let go, because it hurt too much to think of him, and I was sure I’d never see him again. I still don’t think I will. We came here after many hardships, and I met Max. We dated in secret, but we really connected, ya know? He took away the pain I was feeling from missing Travis and Kyle and all the friends and family I lost along the way. I opened my heart, but then fate stepped in and tore him from me too. Why, Dean? What did I ever do to deserve that?” she asked, weeping. “Sometimes I wish I would have stayed in zombie form. At least then, I didn’t have to feel anything.”
I rubbed her back, trying to comfort her. Seeing her cry when she was usually so very strong made me uncomfortable, but she needed me, for a change. She was hurting, and I just wished I knew the right words to say to make her feel better.
“I’m done with romantic entanglements,” she said. “No more. There’s just no room for love in this new world. I’ll just focus on surviving, fighting, and helping out whatever community we hook up with. I refuse to open my heart only to have it ripped open again. I’m not going to go looking for love ever again.”
“You don’t have to look for love. It just sorta finds you,” I said, as if I was some kind of expert. “I mean, I don’t think it’s something you can plan for. I certainly wasn’t expecting to find Jackie out here in this world gone mad. It just happened, and the same thing happened to Nick and Lucas. Love came when they least expected it.”
“Yeah. I guess things were kind of spontaneous, especially with Kyle.”
Whoever Kyle was, he had clearly captured Val’s heart. I’d met him briefly while he waited on my mom’s porch when Val first came. She had grieved Travis’s death for a long time, but when she met Kyle, she’d fallen in love with him. She claimed she had gotten over him, but I was pretty sure that wasn’t true and that Max was just the man she met on the rebound. I knew she cared a great deal about Max, but I didn’t ever see them lasting for very long. He was older, and she felt safe with him. Unfortunately, none of us were ever really safe, and sadly, Max had succumbed to the constant danger.
“If you don’t mind, I’d like to be alone a little while longer,” she said. “Thanks for the water though...and for talking to me.”
I gave her a hug and walked back into the apartment.
“Well? Is she coming with us or not?” Nick asked.
I let out a long breath. “I don’t know.”
He cocked a brow. “You didn’t ask?”
“She’s pretty torn up. I didn’t have the heart to bring it up.”
“What kind of vibe did you get?” he asked.
“I don’t know. She’s so upset about Max. Maybe you should go out later and try to talk to her.”
“I don’t deal with that kind of stuff,” he said.
“Neither do I, but at least I made an effort.”
He blew out a breath. “I’ll send Claire out.”
I met his gaze. “Seriously? She needs you, Nick, her brother, not your girlfriend.”
“But I don’t even know what to say. I’m not a therapist, some kind of grief counselor! I was trained for battle, not feelings.”
“Just say you’re sorry and give her a hug. It’s that simple. You guys have a lot more in common than DNA. Surely, you know how she feels. I mean, you lost Darla, and...well, you know.”
Still consumed by the pain, he inhaled sharply at the mention of his lost love’s name, as if I’d stuck a finger in an open wound. “I’ll never forget that day,” he said, his voice wavering.
“Then you know what she’s going through.”
“Yep, and I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.” A sheen glossed over his eyes, but he tried to hide it with a macho act. “Val needs you. You’re way easier to talk to than me. I don’t do feelings...or commitment.”
“Then what is Claire to you?” I asked.
“That’s not your concern,” he said.
“I don’t get why she’s with you. You’re going to lose her if you keep jerking her around.”
“What, you think you know everything now just because you killed a few zombies and turned eighteen?” He stared at me hard. “Claire and I are...complicated. You’re too young to understand it.”
“Do you even love her?” I asked, ignoring his insults.
He looked away, as if deep in thought.
“Don’t lead her on. She’s awesome, and she deserves better than that. We’ve become really good friends.”
“How can I betray Darla?” he asked, his eyes filled with pain and sadness.
“She’s dead, Nick.”
“I know,” he whispered.
“I loved Darla too, but she died a long time ago. Is that what this is all about?”
He ignored me and changed the subject. “Anyway, I can’t talk to Val right now. I don’t know how to deal with weepy girls. I just suck at it. You handle it.”
“She doesn’t want to confide in me. Like you, she just sees me as a kid brother, with no real understanding of what it’s like to lose someone close to me. I guess she’s right about that, since I got Jackie back. You, on the other hand, have been through the same thing she has. She needs to talk to somebody who’s been there, somebody who’s lived through the nightmare of actually losing the person they chose to spend the rest of their life with. Not only did you lose Darla, but you had to shoot her. Val had to shoot Max too.”
“I know that pain firsthand,” he said, with a quiver still in his voice. “I guess I can talk to her for a minute.”
“Good, because she’s hurting pretty bad.”
“I didn’t want her to stay in Fairport or date Max. He wasn’t right for her. We all knew it. But that doesn’t mean I wanted the guy dead. He was a good leader, an honorable man, and he went out on a limb for everyone here.”
“Max was one of the most respectable guys I’ve e
ver met. The whole thing is awful, but we can’t blame anyone here. It was an accident. Now that he’s gone, I kind of wish she and Lucas would have been able to work things out. At least then she wouldn’t feel so...lonely.”
“Me too. Lucas has really grown up. He’s not the womanizer he once used to be, stumbling around drunk as a skunk, with a chick on each arm.”
I nodded. “I know he still talks crazy, but I think the zombie apocalypse has made him take life more seriously.”
“Except for the corny jokes and puns,” Nick said.
I laughed. “I’m hoping Kate will straighten him out.”
“If anyone can, it’s her.”
“I never expected Lucas to be with Kate,” I said.
“I know. We’ve been through a lot, and people get close during hard times. I guess one thing led to another. Besides, when I think about it, Val and he really didn’t click. They did at first, but they quickly realized they aren’t right for one another.”
“They used to argue a lot,” I said.
“Yeah, well, I think Lucas still really cares about her, despite their differences, even if he doesn’t want to admit it.”
“He seemed pretty jealous when I told him Val was dating Max. I’m sure he still has feelings for her,” I said.
“It doesn’t matter. He’s with Kate now, so we have to accept that.”
“I do, and Kate’s a wonderful person.”
“Yes, she is.”
I let out a long sigh. “So...what’s the game plan?”
“We need to leave ASAP—all of us.”
“What if Val decides to stay?”
His lip twitched. “She won’t.”
“She has friends here,” I said. “She feels safe here too. I don’t think she’s ready to go back out on the road.”
“She’s stronger than you think.”
I swallowed hard. “If she chooses to stay, I won’t fight her on it. It’ll kill me, but I want her to be happy.”
Nick nodded. “Me too. Let’s just hope she comes to her senses.”
Chapter 31
We said our goodbyes to everyone and quickly packed up. The vials were safely stashed in the SUV, as that bag was the most important among all of our luggage and supplies. We all hoped the scientists could put it to good use and find the cure the world so desperately needed.
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