Autumn's Calling (Book 1): The Outbreak

by Michelle Weese

  “Almost there, I hope there are no surprise guests waiting outside for us,” he commented, staring through the windshield into the rain.

  “Me too. Andrew says he’s watching for us and will open the gate when we pull in.”

  “Okay, if there are any zombies around, I want you two to stay in the truck until the coast is clear,” he declared, and I started to argue but he put a finger to my lips and shook his head. “No, Autumn, you have done enough. If it weren’t for you, those people wouldn’t have made it out alive. It’s time to let someone take care of you now.”

  “I’d listen to the man if I were you, Autumn,” Jess remarked, winking at me and smiling.

  “Alright, but if things get out of hand then I’m stepping in. You can yell at me later for it,” I told Leland in a stern voice, he nodded and flashed a crooked smile.

  “I wouldn’t dream of yelling at you,” he said, squeezing my hand. Jess was grinning from ear to ear and dying to say something but I gave her my steely emerald gaze, daring her to speak. She snickered and let it go, but I knew later on she would be drilling me with questions about Leland, and I would have to answer them or she would never leave me alone.

  I glanced forward as we pulled into the alleyway behind the shop. Rotting corpses were creeping about in the rain. We drove past a few of them and came to a stop. Leland put the truck in park and killed the engine. He looked at me as if to say, “Do I need to say it again?” I rolled my bottom lip out, crossed my arms and gave him my biggest pout. He chuckled and reached across my legs to grab the axe in the floorboard, brushing my thigh and sending a jolt of excitement through me. I spotted a light to my left and looked to see Uncle Andrew opening the lift gate. He and Mom stood on the platform, both with pistols in their hands. They were ready for the worst to happen. Leland opened his door and stepped out then shut it behind him. I sat there impatiently watching as he smashed in zombie skulls with his axe. Mom and Andrew shot the others.

  It took them a grueling two and a half minutes to clear the area and then Leland gave the signal that it was safe to exit the truck. I scooted over to the driver’s side door, grabbing the duffel bag, and stepped out as Jess exited the passenger side. We quickly made our way to the gate and Leland gave us a boost up onto the platform. Then, he jumped up smoothly like he weighed nothing. Mom automatically wrapped her arms around me tightly and whispered into my ear.

  “I was so worried about you guys, it took everything in me not to come looking for you. But I knew Leland would keep his word and bring my baby girl back to me,” she squeezed me until I tapped her arm, letting her know I couldn’t breathe. She laughed, pulling back with tears streaming down her cheeks, then grabbed Jess and squeezed her to death. I grinned at her over Mom’s shoulder. She just rolled her eyes and tried to convince Mom that she was fine. Welcome to my world, Jess.

  Chapter 29

  Uncle Andrew and Leland took the truck back out to the gas station down the road, after grabbing the manual pump from the shop. I didn’t want Leland to go, but knew he would never let Andrew go alone. He gave me a chaste kiss on the forehead and assured he would be back in no time. I gave him worried eyes, but let him go, not having a choice in the matter. Mom, Jess and I went back up front to check on the kiddos. Benji almost knocked me over as he sprinted with full force into my arms. He wrapped his little arms around me and squeezed with all his might. Over and over, he professed how much he missed me and about the new game that he, Vicki and Daisy came up with. I picked him up, hugging his little body and ruffling his blonde hair playfully. He is such a sweet boy and had a sparkle in his eyes that only children his age could have. As if everything in the world would be okay no matter what happened.

  Jess decided she couldn’t wait any longer to get a shower and borrowed some of my clothes to change into after getting herself scrubbed clean. I sat Benji on his feet and he took off after Vicki, who gave me a shy smile and told me she was glad I made it back alright. Daisy strolled over as I sat down on my cot, laid her beautiful golden head in my lap and rolled those sweet little eyes up at me. “I missed you too girl,” I said, kissing her soft head as she wagged her fuzzy tail back and forth across the cement floors. Mom brought me a cup of hot chocolate, which tasted like rainbows and every good in the world condensed into a small coffee mug. It helped to warm my chilled bones and thaw the coldness deep inside of me. The rescue mission was harder on me than I wanted to admit. I smiled at her as she smoothed back the mess of hair that fell in my eyes, and sighed with the relief of being back “home”. It looked like this store would be our home for the time being, which was fine with me.

  “Have you guys listened to the radio or anything to see what they’re saying about finding a cure?” I asked mom.

  “Yeah, all they are saying is the CDC is still in the process of testing multiple strains of possible antidotes on the infected. So far none of them have worked. They are supposed to send officials through every town on the west coast to check for survivors. I guess because we’re so far north and our town is so tiny, maybe we are at the bottom of the list,” she answered.

  “That makes me so angry that nobody has been here yet, you would think the local police would at least do a sweep of the town to see who needed help. I haven’t seen the first cop car come through yet.”

  “I know, sweetie, it’s frustrating that they left us all here to fend for ourselves, but we are doing good so far. We don’t need no stinkin’ cops,” she claimed in a goofy voice, trying to lighten my mood before it got too foul.

  I gave her my best smile and sipped my hot chocolate as she and Daisy walked off to check on the kids playing in the next aisle. I stretched out on my cot and closed my eyes for a moment. It felt so good to relax, after my injuries in the alleyway and my vomit session at the hospital, my body screamed for some much needed rest. As I neared unconsciousness, Jess walked in, humming some cheerful tune in her head. She seemed blissful and reenergized from her shower as she plopped down on Leland’s cot next to mine, drying her hot pink hair with a towel. I blinked up at her and she sat there smiling at me with that, “you better tell all, or else”, grin.

  “Okay, spill the beans, dude,” she demanded with one eyebrow raised.

  So I didn’t have any choice, I wasn’t getting out of it this time. I started from the beginning where Luke and I had the fight. How Daisy and I ran away to the B&B in the country then met the infamous Leland. The first outbreak encounter with the woman zombie at the Inn and how I killed Henry after he was bitten. I told her about how wonderful Mrs. Bea was to us and how much I missed her, my heart breaking to pieces all over again talking about it. Then about the gas station incident that ended with us temporarily adopting Benji. How we came here, found Luke turned zombie, and trying to attack Vicki. Then, I managed to get a concussion and Leland killed Luke. I told her everything that happened from the moment I left work that night, to the minute I saw her come through the pharmacy door at me.

  She sat there, jaw hanging open, in shock from my exciting but tragic story. “Wow, Autumn, I didn’t realize you went through so much already… and within just days. That’s crazy,” she remarked, shaking her head and trying to digest the whole story. “That’s one hell of a journey. I’m so sorry to hear about Luke… and Mrs. Bea. Hell, everyone else you’ve watched die or had to kill along the way,” she hugged me tightly.

  “Yeah, it’s been life changing and exhausting, but I’m glad that I made it back here to you guys. Leland is the one to thank for that, I would’ve never made it here without him by my side. He has been a Godsend. I know I just lost Luke and it took a huge piece of my heart, but Leland is spectacular. I feel such a strong connection to him in the short amount of time we’ve known each other. He is so amazingly sweet and strong and thoughtful…” I rambled on about him. She laughed at me, shaking her head back and forth.

  “You love him, don’t you?” Jess asked me, that winning smile lighting up her whole face.

  “Ummm, well… I don’t
know, Jess. It seems too soon to say such a thing. Maybe I do, maybe I don’t, all I know is he is the best thing for me. I know we wouldn’t have known each other if this outbreak never happened, and I know that’s an awful way to meet the man of your dreams, but it brought us together and I am at least thankful for that blessing,” I told her.

  “Well, I agree, he’s perfect for you. I just hope that if and when this whole thing blows over, you still feel the same way. I don’t want the urgency of the situation being the only thing that keeps you two together. You’ll need to see if you can make it in the “normal” world when everything is back to the way it should be. I have faith that you will though, I’ve seen the way he looks at you, like you’re the most fascinating and beautiful jewel he’s ever laid eyes on. I gotta say, I’m pretty jealous,” she admitted, snickering.

  “I hope it’s not the terrifying world outside that’s clouding his mind… or eyes. He tells me how beautiful I am, and I don’t know how to respond. He’s so amazingly handsome and I know Luke was good looking but not like this. Luke rarely ever complimented me, things with him were so routine, like we were together for years and years. I loved him and said yes to his proposal, but always wondered in the back of my mind if he was the right one for me. Now I know my true feelings, and I’m devastated that things ended the way they did with him, but Leland was sent to me for a reason. I think that reason is he is my soul mate.”

  “Wow. Autumn, I’ve never heard you speak about anyone like this. I’m really happy for you guys, you make a kickass couple, out there smashing zombie skulls together like an even more macabre version of Bonnie and Clyde.”

  I laughed at her, “Thanks, Jess. I didn’t know I had that kind of fight in me. That first kill I made, poor Henry, ripped out a piece of my soul and stomped on it. But I quickly realized what has to be done and I dug deep to find my inner strength. I’m going to do anything I can to keep the people I care about safe.” I grabbed her hand, “I hope you can find the strength to fight by my side when you need to, it’s the only way we’re going to see this thing through to the bloody end.”

  She smiled and nodded, “I’ll try my best, not sure if I’ll be as much of a badass as you are but I will fight for you guys. I love you buddy,” she said and hugged me again. Then got up and walked over to get her own magical mug of hot cocoa that Mom had waiting for her. They started chatting and I drifted off into my own thoughts for a while, reminiscing on my whole journey up until now.

  I decided to clean up while the guys were out on the fuel run, showering quickly and changing into fresh, zombie gunk-free clothes. It wasn’t long and my phone rang with a call from Uncle Andrew’s number. I answered, “Hello? You guys okay?”

  Leland spoke from the other end, “Yep, we’re fine. Just a few hiccups along the way but we have all the gas we could fit in the jugs. Can you guys get the door up? We’re pulling in now.”

  “On my way,” I said and hung up. I trotted back to the loading dock and pulled the chain to lift up the gate. The rain flowed down, but for once, the coast was clear and they were able to unload the gas onto the platform and get inside without any interference. As soon as they were safe inside, Leland wrapped me in his arms like he would never let go again. I squeezed him and lifted my face to his. He gently kissed my lips, rainwater dribbling down his face on to mine, making me laugh from the tickling sensation. He pulled away and looked at me with such a fierce emotion in his eyes. It made my belly flutter and knees a little wobbly. I pulled away, reluctantly, and snatched him a towel from the rack beside the bathroom so he could dry off. While Leland and I were locked in each other’s embrace, Andrew filled the generator up then fled the scene before things got weird.

  “I’m dying for a shower, I’d ask you to join me but that would be too good to be true, so I’ll go get cleaned up and see you in a bit,” Leland told me, drying off his unruly hair that dripped down his t-shirt. It was oh-so-tempting to join him, even though I just showered, but I could never do such a thing with my mom, uncle, best friend and two children in the same building as us. I regretfully gave him a quick smooch and headed towards the rest of the group.

  While Leland showered, everyone sat around the table, talking about our escapade at the hospital. Mom gasping dramatically at every zombie encounter we told her about. I gazed at each of them, and thanked my lucky stars for still having them with me. In a world full of madness and mayhem, I could still smile at the sight of my loved ones sitting around, sipping hot cocoa and laughing like we lived in our own little joyous bubble. The portrait of my dad, grandpa and great-grandpa standing in this same hardware store many years ago, hung on the wall behind us. This remained a place of love and family. I silently thanked Dad for watching over and keeping us safe. After telling everyone goodnight and making my hugging rounds, I walked back to my cot and got myself ready for a nice long nap. I snuggled myself into a sleeping bag, finally feeling the stress of the day melt away. The bed moved and I turned to see a crisp, clean and smoking hot Leland, dressed in sweatpants and a t-shirt, scooting his cot up against mine.

  “I know we can’t both fit in one cot, but I really want to cuddle with you right now, do you mind?” he asked me, with that jaw dropping smile of his.

  “Of course I don’t mind, I thought you’d never ask,” I told him, giving my best smile in return, realizing it was nowhere near as great as his perfect one. He lay down at my back and wrapped his warm, muscular arms around me, with his head snuggled in the curve of my neck. His silky hair, still wet from his shower, fell forward and tickled my cheek. The scent of soap and shampoo overwhelmed my senses. I felt dizzy from the enticing smell of him and the excitement of his body pressed against my back. He made me feel like the luckiest girl on the planet. As he fell asleep, wrapped around me like a comfort blanket, he whispered, “I think I’ve fallen in love with you.”

  Chapter 30

  Meanwhile, down the street in the old pharmacy, a spine tingling chill hung in the air. Through the stench of death and the darkness, a malevolent force lingered in the shadows, the wraith that brought this evil and destruction upon the earth. A putrid, foul smelling air vibrated around him like clouds of gas surrounding a sewer under a busy city street. His eyes glowed like fire in the pitch black night. He continued searching for the perfect host to live in, angry that he could not physically touch anything or anyone without flesh and blood to give him substance. He had chosen the brown headed man the humans called Luke, to start the transition into an earthly body, but was intervened by the raven haired man with the redheaded beauty. They killed the man before he could complete his passage, cutting his ties he attempted to weave into the man’s body.

  The scourge began existence as a legion for all things evil, and after being trapped in Hell for all of time, he found a way to escape. Now he unleashed his madness and darkness upon this planet, finally having release for the hatred he carries for mankind. He hid in the shadows since the beginning of the outbreak, using the zombies as his own puppets, infecting the humans with his sickness and unyielding taste for flesh and blood. Making his minions walk the earth and spread horror until all are consumed by it.

  But as he observed his handiwork from the old pharmacy, something peaked his interest; the redheaded woman from the building across the street. He followed every move she made and was becoming infatuated with her. Something about her drew him in like flies to a piece of rotting meat. Aware that he needed a body before ever getting the chance to touch her, he would lose patience soon. Then, the world would feel the wrath from centuries of sinister plans put forward into action. They all thought the rotting corpses were bad, but if he didn’t find a host soon, it would get much worse. His patience was almost non-existent.

  The woman held that flicker of energy, a spark, that he hadn’t sensed in others. She must be by the demon’s side to help him rule the earth and spread his unholy, wretched darkness to every living thing. Be the queen to his king. He would not stop until he devoured everyone and con
structed an immense army of the walking dead. For now, he sat and waited in the dark void, but soon… very soon, he would discover the perfect host and take what he wants. What was rightfully his… the brave and beautiful, Autumn.

  Continue reading for a preview of the next book in the Autumn series…

  Autumn’s Calling:

  The Battle

  The demon stood behind the old pharmacy, gazing out into the wilderness. The first snow this year had fallen and glistened in the afternoon sunlight like thousands of tiny diamonds. The crisp cold air whipped around him in swirls of ice and pine needles from the enormous trees above. Besides the whisper of the wind blowing , the remaining sound was a lonely desperate crow cawing from a tree branch nearby. It resonated like relaxing music to his ears; the deep sorrow of the crow flowing from its pitch black beak for the outside world to hear. He knew precisely how lonesome the bird must feel, always being forsaken by others, only to search through existence in complete isolation. But hopefully that would change soon enough.

  After his escape from the fiery bowels of Hell, he searched far and wide, and ultimately found the perfect host to possess. A strapping young lad of about thirty years old. He wielded long blonde hair, that resembled spun silk and shimmered brilliantly in the light. Piercing golden brown eyes, the same color of a tiger’s, that would stop your heart from beating with just one glance. He stood an even six foot-six inches tall with muscles in all the right places. Yes, this remarkable body would suit him well. He wished only to seduce the magnificent red haired Autumn with his new found human body, and he had chosen wisely. He looked like an angel sent from Heaven above, although it was the complete opposite.