“Let’s check it out then,” Emily prompted, her face taking on a determined look. “The sooner we know, the better.”
“Yeah, but we need to be ready for a fight,” Andrew said. “No offense, Vanessa, but I doubt you’ll be able to hurt them even if they are crazy. I know I could never have hurt Macy even if she had tried to eat me.”
Vanessa blanched. “You’re probably right. What do you suggest?”
“You and Emily can carry your flashlights and light the way. If attacked, Chas and I will do the fighting,” he answered.
Chas nodded. “Sounds like a plan to me.”
“Right. It’s settled. Follow me,” Vanessa said.
Moving in a hunched position, she led Chas and the rest past the hedges and two more houses before stopping in front of her own home. She unlatched the small garden gate and slipped inside, closing it behind them once more with a soft click.
A cobblestone path cut through the lawn to the front door, and Vanessa hesitated in front of it, her hand hovering above the brass knob. “Here goes nothing. You guys ready?”
Chas nodded, swallowing hard on the nervous knot that had formed in her throat. She gripped her bat with sweaty palms, having put away her flashlight for the moment. Andrew stood next to her in a similar position. As the defenders, they’d go in first with Vanessa and Emily lighting the way ahead for them.
The door swung open, and the foyer was revealed as a small room with two offshoots leading to the main living room, dining room, and kitchen on the left, and a hallway going to the bedrooms on the right.
Vanessa shone her light inside, panning the beam across the small space. Everything looked normal, but that didn’t mean it was. Chas had learned not to trust what lay on the surface. Not anymore.
She nodded to Vanessa and stepped inside, wincing when her left shoe squeaked on the tiled floor. A potted plant stood undisturbed to her right, and she edged past it until she could look down the long hallway followed by Vanessa carrying her flashlight.
Andrew and Emily moved to the other side to investigate the living room, and for a few breathless moments, nobody moved.
“See anything on your side?” Chas whispered.
“No. The living and dining room is empty,” Andrew answered. “But I can’t see the kitchen. You?”
“The hallway is empty too, and the doors to the bedroom are all open,” Chas whispered back.
“We’re in a good position here,” Emily said. “We can’t be flanked or surrounded.”
“So?” Andrew said in impatient tones.
“So, if Vanessa’s foster parents are zombies, maybe we could draw them out with noise. That way, they can’t surprise us.”
Chas thought about it. It was a clever idea. “All right, let’s try it.”
On queue, Vanessa called out in a low but far-reaching tone of voice. “James? Sarah? Are you home? It’s me, Vanessa.”
The seconds ticked by as nothing happened. Vanessa repeated her call, a little bit louder this time. Still nothing.
Finally, Chas grew impatient. “I don’t think there’s anyone here. Maybe they left.”
“Maybe,” Vanessa said, though she didn’t look very optimistic.
“Let’s check out the bedrooms. Emily, Andrew, you two stay put where you are,” Chas said.
They agreed, and she stepped into the hall with her bat held ready to fight. The carpet muffled her footsteps, and she quickly moved to the first room, a spare bedroom. It was empty. The bathroom across from it was empty too, as was Vanessa’s room.
That left only Sarah’s office and the main bedroom. Vanessa’s foster mom was a real estate agent who worked from home, while James was the foreman of a construction company. Ordinary people. Good people. Chas had met them a few times, and she knew Vanessa got along with them, unlike the people from her previous homes.
The office gave Chas and Vanessa their first clue that not all was well. Papers lay strewn on the floor, and one of the desk drawers dangled open as if someone had looked for something in a rush. Vanessa stared at the scene with wide eyes.
“What is it?” Chas asked.
“Sarah kept a gun in there,” Vanessa replied, pointing at the open drawer.
Chas blinked, her thoughts chasing each other in circles. Then she noticed something and leaned forward to pick it up. A note scribbled on a piece of paper. “It’s for you.”
Vanessa took the note and read it, her cheeks growing paler by the second. It said, “Vanessa. Soldiers came by the house. They are forcing me to go with them to the evacuation center at Red Rock Elementary School. James was bitten, and they won’t let him come with me. Don’t go into the bedroom, hun. Just leave. Come to the school. Be safe. I love you.”
The words were scrawled and skewed as if Sarah was in a great hurry when she wrote it, and Chas could hazard a guess at what had happened.
“That’s why there are no zombies around. The National Guard must have come here and evacuated everyone not infected, and…” Chas trailed off, unable to finish the sentence.
“And they killed anyone who was. Like my foster father, James,” Vanessa said, saying what Chas couldn’t.
“You don’t know that,” Chas protested, even though her words lacked conviction.
“I know,” Vanessa said, allowing the crumpled note to slip from her fingers and flutter to the ground.
Like a robot, she turned and walked toward the main bedroom, her steps mechanical and her face blank.
Chas ran after her, reaching for her arm. “Vanessa, don’t.”
“I need to know for sure, Chas. Leave me be.” Vanessa’s voice was cold, and Chas let her hand fall back to her side. Silently, she followed her friend into the bedroom. A thick pool of blood marred the pristine carpet, and James lay sprawled in the middle of it, his skull blown apart by a bullet.
Chas stared at the corpse, her mind numb. She’d seen a lot of death throughout the day, had killed two zombies, been chased by wolves, and nearly beaten to a pulp by a gorilla, yet James’ death seemed far worse. Because I knew him. I’ve met him before, and I know how important he is to Vanessa.
For the first time, the zombie apocalypse felt real. It felt…personal, and Chas knew nothing would ever be the same again.
Chapter 10
After the discovery of Vanessa’s foster dad, the little group gathered in the living room to rest and recoup. With the curtains drawn and the doors locked, they were safe enough for the moment. Besides, the National Guard had cleared the block of most of the zombies.
Vanessa quickly retreated into a corner, curling up on a chair with a couch cushion clutched to her chest. She said nothing while the others talked, and her eyes were wide open and blank. They’d covered James with a sheet and closed the door. It was the least they could do under the circumstances.
She must be in shock, Chas thought, watching Vanessa with a worried frown. What would Lala do? She’d give her something hot and sweet to drink.
Hot was out of the question with no electricity, but sweet was entirely possible. From the fridge, Chas pulled out a jug of iced tea and poured everyone a glass. Vanessa took hers without comment, and after a while sipped at the mixture, still without saying a word.
Deciding they could all use some proper food, Chas made sandwiches in the kitchen, layering the bread with thick slices of ham, cheese, and tomato. Emily jumped in halfway through, quartering oranges and pears, and soon they had a platter stacked high with goodies. With a couple of candles casting a golden glow, it was almost homey.
Andrew wasted no time stuffing his face. His expression of delight would have been funny in ordinary times, but right then there was very little to laugh about.
“What do we do now?” Emily asked, finally broaching the unspoken subject that weighed on all their minds.
Andrew looked up from his half-eaten sandwich. “I thought we were going to my place next?”
“Wouldn’t it make more sense to go to the school?” Emily asked. “That’s whe
re they’re taking everybody. Most likely your parents too.”
“You can’t be sure of that,” Andrew said. “It’s four blocks away. They could still be there, at home.”
“Not if the National Guard is evacuating citizens,” Emily insisted.
“I’m not taking that chance. What if I miss them?” he said.
“And what if they’re at the school and you get there too late?” Emily replied. “You’ll be stuck here, alone with the zombies.”
“I don’t care what you say. I’m going home,” Andrew said with a stubborn set to his lips.
An angry blush rose in Emily’s cheeks, and she said, “Whatever. Do what you want, but I’m going to the school. That’s where my parents will be, so that’s where I’m going.”
“You promised,” Andrew shouted. “You said we’d go to my home next.”
“I never said that. Chas did,” Emily pointed out with a raised eyebrow.
Andrew turned toward Chas with an expectant look. “Well?”
Chas stared at first Andrew then Emily, her mind a whirl of conflicting thoughts. What to do? On the one hand, she had promised Andrew they’d go to his home next. On the other hand, Emily had a point. The National Guard had most likely evacuated everyone by now, even her mom from the hospital. The best thing would be for them to make their way there too. It was the safe thing to do. The logical thing. But what about Lala? And Grumps? Their house is way on the outside of town. What if the National Guard missed them?
Other, darker thoughts occurred to Chas. What if Grumps never made it back from the fair? What if he got infected while trying to pick her up? And what if he did get away but the infection made it to their house. Were her grandparents even still alive? Her mom?
Despair settled over her shoulders like a thick blanket, muffling her ability to think clearly. Chas dropped her face into her hands and slumped forward, unable to cope with the demands of leadership. They all depend on me. Why? How am I supposed to know what to do? What if I make a mistake and get them all killed? What then?
“Well?” Andrew demanded.
“I don’t know what to do, okay? I don’t know any better than any of you. I’m just a kid,” Chas burst out, throwing her hands in the air.
Andrew and Emily stared at her with stunned expressions. Their faith in her, complete until that moment, was crushed. Emily’s face crumpled, and she burst into tears, her shoulders shaking with each wracking sob. Andrew’s expression turned mutinous, and he lowered his eyes to his food, chewing with deliberate care. Vanessa did nothing but stare into the distance.
Chas sighed, feeling like a traitor. She got up and walked to the window, pulling aside a small corner of the curtain to stare at the dark street outside. It was deathly quiet, and she got the sudden feeling they’d been abandoned. Forgotten.
Are we the last people here? The last uninfected on this block? she wondered. Left behind?
A rustle next her sounded, and Chas looked up into Vanessa’s blue eyes. Her friend looked as exhausted as she herself felt, her black hair mussed, and her eyeliner smudged. “Hey, Vanessa. How are you feeling?”
“I’m okay, but I’m more worried about you than me,” Vanessa said. “You can’t give up now, Chas. You got us this far. You can get us all the way.”
“All the way where? The school? Andrew’s house? My house?”
“You know what to do, Chas. You always know. Just follow your gut instinct.”
Chas sighed. “Easier said than done.”
“I know, but I have faith in you.” Vanessa placed one hand on Chas’ shoulder. “We all do.”
“I’m scared, Vanessa,” Chas admitted. “Scared I make a mistake that gets you all killed.”
“You won’t. I trust you. And even if the worst did happen, it wouldn’t be your fault. It wouldn’t be anyone’s fault. It’d be part of life.”
“That simple, huh?” Chas asked with a faint smile.
“That simple.”
Chas nodded. “Maybe you’re right.”
“Of course, I am. I’m older than you,” Vanessa said with a glint in her eye that warmed Chas’ heart. At least, the old Vanessa was still in there. “So, think of something, pronto. We don’t have all night.”
“Thanks,” Chas answered with a wry smile as Vanessa walked away. Maybe her friend was right. Maybe she did know what to do. She just had to get her head on straight.
Suddenly, a flashing light outside caught her eyes, and she leaned forward with narrowed eyes. For a few seconds, nothing happened, and she thought she’d imagined it, when it occurred again.
Sure enough, it was a light. More than that, it was a flashlight being held in the hands of a person. A thinking, intelligent person sending a message. One, two, three, pause, repeat. Over and over again. Moreover, she had an idea she knew who it was.
Chas turned to look at her friends. “Hey, guys. Guess what?”
Three questioning faces turned her way.
“We’re not alone, after all.”
Chapter 11
“What do you mean we’re not alone?” Vanessa asked.
“There’s someone next door, flashing a light at us,” Chas replied. “Quick, give me a flashlight.”
With their various problems forgotten for the moment, Vanessa, Andrew, and Emily rushed over and crowded around her. Andrew handed Chas his light, and she flashed the same pattern back to the stranger next door. After a few seconds, the code came pulsing back, a little faster than before as if the other person was excited.
“Who do you think it is?” Emily asked.
“I think it’s Dean,” Chas said. “The boy next door.”
“Dean?” Vanessa gasped. “I thought he’d be at the evacuation center with his parents.”
“Maybe he got home late from school,” Chas mused. “Or maybe it’s someone else hiding there. It’s not a zombie, that’s for sure.”
“So, what now? Do we go over there?” Emily asked, not looking thrilled at the prospect.
Chas was saved from the need to answer when a dark figure slipped out of the house next door and ran across the lawn to their front door. A knock sounded, and Emily jumped so high she almost hit the ceiling.
“Guess he came to us,” Chas said with a bright smile as she opened the door.
It was Dean all right, his square shoulders filling the doorframe, and his closely cropped hair gleaming like gold in the candlelight. Her stomach fluttered like it always did when she saw him. It was more of a nervous tick than a crush, the sort of thing that happened when a hot older boy so much as smiled in her direction, and she hoped it didn’t show. Behind her, Emily tittered, just as flustered as Chas. The only ones who didn’t go all starry-eyed were Andrew and Vanessa.
“Hi, Dean. Hurry. Come inside before something sees you,” Chas said.
“Something as in a zombie?” Dean asked as he stepped inside while flashing his million dollar smile.
“That’s the one,” Chas said. “Why are you still here? I thought you’d be with your parents at the evacuation center.”
“I got home too late,” he replied as she shut the door once more and locked it behind him.
They gathered in the living room, forming a loose circle and discussed the events of the night so far. After telling him their story, Dean looked sad. “I’m sorry about your foster dad, Vanessa. He was a good man.”
Vanessa sniffed. “Thank you.”
Dean relayed his tale next. After football practice, he’d stopped by a buddy for a while before continuing home on foot. He almost got swept up in a riot near the city center, “Plus, an old lady almost got me when I tripped over her garden gnome while running away.”
A weak round of chuckles relieved the stiff atmosphere, and Chas thought the time was right to discuss their next move. “What are your plans, Dean?”
“I’m going to the evacuation center. I was on my way there when you guys showed up. I wasn’t sure if you were human, but when nothing bad happened, I thought I’d send you a
message and check. It worked, and here I am!” He shrugged with a good-natured grin. “What’s your plans?”
“We wanted to check our homes first, but with the National Guard in play, our parents are most likely at the school waiting for us,” Chas said. “Still, some of us, including me, want to make sure first. My grandparents stay on the outskirts of town, and they might have been missed, plus my mom works at the hospital.”
Emily shot Chas a look of understanding. “I’m sorry, I didn’t think of that.”
“Why don’t you do both?” Dean asked.
“It’ll take us all night on foot, and it’s too dangerous,” Chas said. “What if we miss the evacuation or get infected?”
“Who said anything about going on foot? I can drive,” Dean said. “It’ll be much faster that way.”
Excitement filled Chas, mixed with wild hope. While Grumps had taught her a little, it wasn’t enough for her to even consider driving through zombie-infested streets. She’d barely managed the short distance in the minibus at the fair. “You can?”
“Of course.” Dean looked a little smug, but Chas could forgive him for that if it meant getting them out of their current pickle. “We’ll need a car, though. My parent’s vehicle is gone.”
“We can check the garage,” Vanessa offered, jumping up. “Sarah probably took hers, but James’ car might still be here.”
They followed her through the interconnecting door, and there it was. James’ double cab truck, gleaming silver in the dim candlelight.
Dean crowed with delight. “People, we are in business. Grab your stuff, and let’s go.”
Vanessa vanished into her room to collect a few personal things while Chas, Emily, and Andrew filled up their backpacks in the kitchen with food, water, and medicine. Chas handed each of them a butcher’s knife for good measure, and ten minutes later, they were loaded up and ready to go.
Andrew opened the garage door to let them out while the girls piled into the back. Dean started the engine with a roar and checked the tank. “Half-full. Enough to get us where we need to be.”
Gen Z Boxed Set Page 6
