Dangerous Days: Boxed Set (A Zombie Apocalypse Survival Thriller Books 1-4)

by Baileigh Higgins

  “Why?” Meghan asked with the sixth sense for trouble all children possess.

  “Because she’s the grownup, and you’re not. Now play with your friends. I’ll see you later.”

  “Is something going on?” Meghan lingered, reluctance keeping her frozen in place.

  Julianne sighed and dropped to her haunches. “You might hear some noises, later on, sweetie, and I don’t want you to be scared.”

  “What noises?”

  “Well, you know the sick people?” she asked. Meghan nodded. “We think some of them might come here later tonight, and we’ll have to chase them away. You understand?”

  “Is that why we have to stay here tonight?”

  “Yes. So I need you to be a good girl and listen to the grownups. Be a proper example to the other kids, okay?”

  “Okay.”

  “That’s my girl. See you later, sweetie.”

  Julianne watched Meghan go back to her friends before she walked over to Samantha. She picked her up and kissed Sam’s chubby cheeks while making a silent vow. I will not let anything happen to these children. Not today.

  “You’ll look after them, won’t you, Michelle?”

  “With my life, ma’am.”

  “So will I,” Ruby added.

  “We all will,” Erica said, and Tumi nodded.

  Julianne felt tears well up but swallowed them with a bright smile. “Thank you.”

  She left the schoolroom with a feeling of regret, but while some of them couldn’t fight, the rest of them had no choice. Every available gun was needed on the wall, including her own. “Please, God. Don’t let my children come to any harm tonight. I’ll do anything.”

  At the armory, she met Max who handed her extra ammunition for her pistol and a shotgun with shells. “Here, Mom. Take this.”

  She hefted the gun with a smile. Never the best shot in the world, the weapon was perfect for someone with limited range and accuracy like her. “Thanks, Max.”

  He paused and reached out a hand. She took it, and he pulled her into a hug. “Be careful out there. I couldn’t stand it if anything happened to you.”

  “Same here, Max. I love you.”

  “Love you too.”

  “Don’t forget about the lot in the infirmary. They need weapons too, just in case.”

  “I won’t.” He waved as she left. “See you soon.”

  After leaving Max behind, there was very little else to do but wait. All the buildings were shut down except the schoolroom, infirmary and one cottage with a bathroom and beds for those that needed it. All spare power was routed to the floodlights positioned along the inner wall, and food and water were stationed at intervals. People walked around with nervous energy, while others dozed in the sun, catching up on lost sleep.

  Julianne did a quick circuit of the inner walls to familiarize herself with the overall strategy Max had implemented with the help of Michael. The small gate leading outside to the reserve had been sealed and barricaded by an earthen embankment. After the goats were herded into the reserve, and that was cordoned off as well by a wall of dirt.

  “Do you think the animals will be safe?” she asked Joseph who was just about to go to the infirmary.

  “They should be. The primary fight will be over here. As long as their fence holds and Ke Tau concentrates his attack on us, the reserve should pass unnoticed by both the living and the dead.

  “Unless they try to break in from the outside again like they did with the tree.”

  “Not likely. Too much trouble. They could just come straight here through the outer gates. It’s the biggest weak point in our defenses.”

  “You’re right as ever, Joseph.”

  “I wish to God I weren’t,” he replied before hurrying off to fortify the infirmary.

  An argument at the main gates drew Julianne’s attention, and she walked over. “What’s going on?”

  Elise turned to her, her face beetroot red with anger. “They want to leave. Can you believe that? They’re running away.”

  “Who?” Julianne asked though it was pretty obvious.

  “Nick and Sharyn,” Elise exclaimed.

  Julianne looked the couple over with shrewd eyes, noting the backpacks and guns they carried. Their faces were set, eyes hooded, though Nick had the decency to blush beneath her gaze.

  “You want to leave? As in permanently?” she asked.

  Nick nodded. “Yes, we want to go.”

  “Why?” Julianne gestured around her. “You’d abandon us at a time like this? After we took you in?”

  Nick averted his eyes, but Sharyn answered for him. “We never signed up for this fight, and you can’t keep us here. Let us go.”

  Her voice was shrill, and Julianne recognized the signs of panic. She lowered her voice to a soothing pitch and reached out. “Sharyn, please. Can’t we talk about this? I know you’re scared, but we can figure something out.”

  “No!” Sharyn backed away like a spooked horse. “I want to leave.”

  Nick sighed and shot Julianne a pleading look. “Please, just let us go. She can’t fight. Neither can I. What happens if we lose?”

  Julianne mulled it over, but she knew she couldn’t force them to stay. “Fine. I hope you find what you’re looking for out there.”

  “Thanks.” They turned to go, ducking through the gap in the gates which still stood open.

  Elise rounded on her. “What the hell? Why did you let them leave?”

  “What good would it do to force them to stay?”

  “But…”

  “I get it, Elise, I do, but I’d rather fight alongside my friends than some coward who runs at the first signs of trouble.” She laid a warm hand on the other woman’s shoulder. “A friend like you.”

  “Elise sniffed. “Same here, Julianne. I just wish…”

  Elise left her wish unsaid, but Julianne thought she knew what it was because she had the same one. Dear Lord, please let us live through tonight. Unharmed and safe.

  Chapter 20 - Max

  Max stood on the wall like a sentinel, his keen gaze taking in every detail around him. A quick glance at his watch told him it was half past four in the afternoon. The sun had begun its descent toward the earth, its light washing the veldt in hues of yellow and gold. “Not long now.”

  As if in answer to his words, a smudge of dust appeared on the horizon. With each second that passed, it grew in size and deepened in color. The horde approached.

  “Is it them?” he asked Michael who stood next to him.

  “It’s them.”

  Earlier that day, Michael had gone on a solo reconnaissance of the area and the roads leading up to it. The news he brought back was sobering. Ke Tau had gathered a massive swarm of infected, and two of his men on dirt bikes were leading them straight to the main gates.

  “Just like last time,” Max said.

  “This time, though, they’ll follow up the attack themselves, and they’ll be armed with guns,” Michael said.

  “We’re ready for them,” Max replied, though worry gnawed at his gut. With so few fighters, he’d assigned only Ben and Shaun to the back wall with the rest spaced out along the front and sides.

  He lifted his hand and waved at the people assembled. The signal was taken up and passed around until everybody stood to arms at their posts. A tense silence fell.

  The cloud of dust moved closer by the minute, drawing inexorably nearer. It was rust red and reminded Max of dried blood. A nervous tremor shivered through his right hand, and he clenched it into a fist. Not for the first time, he wished Breytenbach was there to advise him. But he’s not, and it’s up to us to defend ourselves.

  The ham radio at his side crackled, and he started. “Max, come in. Max.”

  He raised the mic to his lips and pressed the button. “Liezel? What is it?”

  “Four vehicles are approaching the gates ahead of the horde.”

  “Four?” He exchanged a perplexed look with Michael.

  “That’s right.”<
br />
  “Can you make out who they are?”

  “Hold on.”

  Max lowered the radio. “It can’t be Ke Tau. He wouldn’t be ahead of the infected, would he? I mean, he’d be trapped between them and the fence.”

  “It doesn’t make sense,” Michael agreed.

  “Unless…” A bright spark of hope flared in Max’s breast.

  “Unless what?”

  Liezel’s voice came on again, pitched high with excitement. “It’s one of ours in the front. It’s Breytenbach!”

  “Really?” Max craned his head toward the far outer gates. As yet, he could see nothing, but he prayed Liezel was right.

  “She said four vehicles, right? Breytenbach only had two,” Michael pointed out.

  “I know.” Max considered it. “We’d better be on our guard. This could be a trap.”

  “Right.” Michael turned and whispered instructions to Peter and Thembiso. They each shot off in a different direction as they spread the latest news and orders to everyone assembled. Together they watched and waited. At last, Max spotted movement. “There.”

  “I see them,” Michael replied.

  A convoy of vehicles emerged from the tree line and sped toward the barriers blocking the gates. They braked in a flurry of dust as their wheels kicked up sand, and figures emerged from the opening doors. “Can you see anyone? Breytenbach? Kirstin?”

  “No,” Michael replied.

  “Shit,” Max swore while he suppressed his irritation with the man. One minute he can see in the dark, now he can’t make out one lousy person’s face?

  He raised the radio to his lips. “Liezel, come in.”

  “Yes?”

  “Can you make out who it is? Is it Breytenbach and his team?” he asked, longing for a set of binoculars.

  “Hold on.” Silence. “Yes, it’s them!” she cried, her excitement palpable.

  Max sagged with relief, but this passed as he watched the tiny figures drag the spiked contraption blocking the gates out of the way. Behind them, the first straggling line of zombies appeared from the brush. “Hurry, Breytenbach!”

  “They’re not going to make it,” Michael said.

  The crack of two rifles sounded from the tower as Liezel and Abe attempted to thin the ranks of the undead. A few dropped, but countless more took their place. Nervous tension coiled in Max’s breast. He watched as two of the figures dragged open the gates while the rest added their shots to Liezel and Abe’s. Together, they managed to slow the advance of the infected.

  Somebody, likely Breytenbach, tossed a grenade into the throng. The explosion sounded dull from his position, a muted roar overlaid by the groaning of thousands of zombies. Hurry, hurry, hurry!

  The last vehicle in line was swallowed up by the horde. Like ants, the undead swarmed over it until it disappeared from view. The third truck suffered a likewise fate, and Max chewed on the inside of his cheek until he tasted blood.

  The gates were now open, and the two figures who’d unlatched them sprinted toward the waiting vehicle in front. They jumped in with seconds to spare as the undead reached the front of the convoy.

  The front vehicles began to move, slowly at first before picking up speed as they honked their horns and raced inside the camp. To his intense relief, the two swamped cars made it out as well, shedding their layer of decomposed bodies like old skin. It was too late to close the gates or replace the barrier, however.

  “Shit, we lost the outer fence,” Michael said, echoing his thoughts.

  “I hadn’t expected it to hold for long, but it would have given us a slight edge,” Max agreed.

  “At least, Breytenbach’s back,” Michael said.

  Max motioned to Abraham and Phillip. “Get ready to open.”

  They nodded.

  He looked at Michael. “If it’s not them, shoot. Liezel could’ve been wrong, or it could be a ruse.”

  “Will do.”

  He looked around. “Everybody ready?”

  Yells of assent rose.

  We’re ready.

  The four vehicles raced up, and he held his breath as he waited. His eyes searched for Kirstin’s, desperate with hope. He spotted her familiar blonde head, and an immense weight lifted from his shoulders. She made it. “It’s them, open up!”

  The bars were flung aside, and the weighted metal sheets pushed open. Breytenbach and the mystery trucks pulled inside, their wheels kicking up a spray of dust and gravel. The dead followed them in a straight line up the road, their faces decayed and contorted. A low hum rose from their unified throats. Runners emerged from the front ranks, pushing through their slower companions to sprint after their fleeing prey.

  “Shit. Close the gates. Hurry!” Max shouted as he bounded down the ladder. He flung himself at the nearest side and helped Abraham push the monstrosity shut with a clang. Together, they lifted the bars and slid it across. The first bodies slammed against the barrier. The beating of their fists sounded like a war drum.

  “Michael, come in,” he said over the radio.

  “Yes?”

  “Can you take over up there for a few minutes?”

  “Roger. We can hold them for now, but hurry.”

  With Michael in charge and their defenses intact once more, Max allowed himself to look for Kirstin. There.

  “Kirstin!” He bounded forward and swooped her up in a crushing hold. His arms circled her waist as he lifted her slender body off the ground and spun her around in a circle.

  “Max.”

  “Where have you been? I’ve been so worried,” he cried.

  She shook her head. “Not now, Max. You have visitors.

  Max’s gaze slid over the convoy of vehicles and settled on a familiar Land Rover. His brows lifted in amazement. “Logan?”

  Long legs clad in muddy boots and jeans slid from the driver’s side followed by a lean torso topped by broad shoulders and messy dark hair. Piercing grey eyes found him and lightened with instant joy. “Max!”

  “Logan, you son of a…where have you been? I’ve been worried sick.” Max leaped forward and grabbed his friend, enfolding him in a bear hug.

  Logan laughed. “Come on. You always knew I’d be back, didn’t you?”

  “I’m surprised some zombie didn’t eat your skinny ass.”

  “Nah, I’m too tough and gamey.” Logan clapped him on the back. “Anyway, I’ve got a surprise for you.”

  “Another one?” Max frowned as he looked in the direction Logan pointed.

  When he spotted Martin’s face, his jaw hit the floor. “Martin? It can’t be.”

  Martin grinned. “The one and only.”

  They clasped hands with matching grins until Breytenbach interrupted. “Hate to break up this happy reunion, but we’ve got an undead problem outside our gates.”

  Max sobered immediately. “You’re right. We’ve got the fight of our lives on our hands. Ke Tau is back.”

  “I’ve missed much,” Breytenbach said.

  “I’m just glad you’re back.”

  From the walls, battle cries sounded as the defenders stabbed at the encroaching undead with their long spears. Max spotted both Abraham and Philip up there, along with Lisa, Mpho, Elise, and a few others under the leadership of Michael. Joseph and a couple of helpers were running down the sides, picking off those that seemed intent on encircling the camp.

  “Seems we arrived just in time, little brother,” Martin said, using Max’s old nickname with easy familiarity. “Do you need guns?”

  “We do.”

  “I’ve got a small cache stashed in the back of my truck.” Martin led the way and opened up a metal trunk containing several shotguns, R4’s, 9mm’s, AK47’s, and a few grenades.

  Max allowed himself a satisfied smile and pocketed several of the explosives along with a few extra cartridges for his R4. “Just what we need to get rid of these fuckers hounding our doorstep.”

  Martin turned to a younger man at his side. “Josh, see to it that everybody is armed according to
their expertise, okay?”

  Josh nodded. “I’ll still get to fight, won’t I?”

  Max laughed. With Martin and Logan at his side, he felt invincible. “There’s plenty to go around, trust me.”

  A few others hovered in a semi-circle, and Martin introduced them as Jed, Donya, and Caleb. “They’re all good fighters and willing to help.”

  The trio inclined their heads.

  “We need the help.” Max spotted another girl hovering behind Logan. She had the most striking blue eyes he’d ever seen, and he paused. “And who might you be?”

  “Nadia,” she replied with a touch of defiance in her voice, almost as if she expected a lousy reaction from him at the mere mention of her name.

  “Nadia’s my friend,” Logan said, one hand going to her shoulder. “We go back a long way.”

  Nadia smiled at him, and Logan responded in kind with the kind of ease he didn’t usually display, and Max watched the interaction with surprise. What’s going on here? Friend?

  He filed the question away for later and clapped his hands together. “Right, let’s go.”

  Max marched toward the wall but paused when he saw Ronnie and Lenka helping an injured Mike down from the truck. The Irishman’s face was covered in bandages stained yellow with disinfectant. His right arm was slung in a sling. One foot hovered in the air, while patches of his skin shone red and raw.

  He turned to Breytenbach. “What happened? Is Mike okay?”

  “He’ll live,” Breytenbach replied in a strained voice. “We had a spot of trouble in town, that’s all.”

  Kirstin appeared at Max’s elbow and whispered in his ear. “The Captain is not well. He needs to go to the infirmary with Mike. Make sure he does.”

  With those cryptic words, she pecked him on the cheek and ran up the ladder towards the tower with her sniper rifle slung across her back. Max stared after her. “What?”

  He looked at Breytenbach more closely, and alarm filled him. The Captain stood with his arm around Julianne, most of his weight leaning on her. That in itself was unusual. His face was pale, and his lips tinged with blue. “Captain, why don’t you and Julianne take Mike to the infirmary? We can handle things from here.”