“I’m sorry,” Tennessee said softly as the hook came down once again, this time finding it’s way into the middle of Faith’s chest.
The girl’s head dropped back to the cool metal of the floor; her eyes were fixed on the sun outside, she did her best to just focus on that, to try and block out the pain as the hook came down into her repeatedly.
Before Tennessee knew it, Faith was gone. Blood poured from her body and started filling up the old grayish sleeping bag. Tennessee stood up slowly, the wooden handle slipped from her hand and Tennessee listened to sound of metal on metal as it hit the truck floor.
There was blood everywhere, all over Tennessee’s jeans and shirt. Tennessee sat there in a trance as her eyes took in Faith’s lifeless body, she felt torn, part of her felt just in killing Faith. Faith was a weak link in the world and Tennessee was sure that in time she would have told Catherine everything.
When the thought of Catherine entered her mind, she spun around and through the glass window covered with stickers she could see Sue and Catherine, standing by the gate, waiting for the signal. Tennessee ran her hands down her jeans trying her best to clean away the blood, but the red stained her soft white skin. She wiped her eyes with her forearms and then leaned over towards the driver’s seat.
With a flick of a switch that dark moment was overtaken by the joyful melody of the Ice Cream truck. Tennessee got to her feet stepping over Faith, making her way to the doors. She stepped out slowly and turned to look at the body, torn by the thoughts of killing what might have been her only friend.
CHAPTER 10
Sue was fighting past the horde of zombies making their way through the open gate. She pushed and ducked, one corpse after another. Until a grayish blood covered hand swung through the air and grabbed her wrist. Sue started to scream but just as fast as the zombie took hold of her it dropped back to the ground as the butt of Catherine’s M4 slammed into the side of it’s head.
“Keep moving. The music won’t keep them-” Before Catherine could finish her thought the joyful music that filled the air came to a chilling stop. All that could be heard were the moans and the shuffling of bodies along the asphalt. Catherine looked over her shoulder at a sea of dead eyes looking back at her. She swung around with the M4 at the ready and started shuffling backwards.
“Move Sue,” She whispered. The duo slowly trekked along, never taking their eyes off the hoard.
There were many events throughout the past three months that caused Sue to believe she was going to meet her maker; protecting the housing complex from a school bus of zombies, hiding out from the military as they went from house to house rounding up people, and being locked in that trunk by a killer clown, all came to mind. Yet, there was no moment more clear in her head than right now.
“We’re gonna die,” Sue said softly, as if only to herself, hoping the universe wouldn’t overhear.
Catherine shook her head, “No! Just fucking move!” she said. The first wave of monsters pushed forward and Catherine opened up fire. She was taking whatever shot she could get, as the hoard made it’s way towards them. Catherine gave Sue no choice in the matter as she backed up quickly forcing Sue to move or be ran over.
The two women made it through the gate, but there was no hope of closing it, no hope for them. Catherine stumbled over a dead body, landing on her back. She was looking up letting it all wash over her when she heard Sue scream, “Get up!”
Catherine sat up and continued firing at the zombies but they were closing in on them too fast. Sue grabbed Catherine by the arm pulling her up to her feet. The two women looked at one another and then back at the sea of the dead as Sue softly said, “We’re gonna die.”
Catherine's eyes were locked on the zombies, she didn’t blink, she didn’t look away, because she knew if she did, she wouldn’t be able to control the tears that were going to fall as she said, “Yes.”
“I’m sorry,” Sue’s voice was cracking, “I’m sorry for everything.” Sue said.
“You should be,” Catherine said as a small smile grew on her face.
Sue smiled as she placed her hand inside of Catherine’s hand. The women closed their eyes and listened to the moans as they got closer. This was it, this was the end.
A roar filled the air, then another followed. The heart stopping sounds pulled the duo from the arms of death and gave them something they had been praying for…
A break.
Catherine’s eyes popped open as she watched a zombie’s skull explode, sending its body tumbling to the ground. The scene was quickly playing out before her, as zombie after zombie dropped to the ground, Catherine could tell the roar was the sweet sound of gunfire. Another body hit the ground and before they knew it, bullets and blood painted the sky.
The sound of the rounds firing and ghoulish moans started to drown out the sound of Catherine's heart beat. Catherine's M4 went back up and she started firing along with her mystery heroes. That one shot pulled her from the brink of death and tossed her back into the war that was life. “Keep moving!” Catherine screamed.
Sue took off running, Catherine was right behind her, firing off a few shots every few moments. The shots were quick and loud but Catherine could hear the screams coming from Sue, “Tennessee! Tennessee!”
Catherine’s eyes saw the dark haired Tennessee fighting her way up the gate, there was razor wire all along the top but Tennessee didn’t seem to care. She was racing for her life. Catherine started releasing fire on the zombies that were trying to make an easy meal out of Tennessee.
Shots filled the air as Tennessee’s body tumbled over the gate and landed on the hard ground below. She didn’t move for a moment, which caused Sue to take a step forward.
Sue was ready to race to her side but she felt a hand slam into her chest, “Get inside Sue!”
Sue’s head turned towards the voices and when her eyes hit his face a world of questions were released in her head but there was no time to ask as the hand grew more forceful, pushing Sue back. “We can’t leave her!” Sue said
Catherine’s eyes went towards Tennessee who was slowly rolling to her feet, “move your ass Tennessee,” she said to herself as she continued to let round after round fly into the massive wave of zombies heading towards them.
Tennessee got to her feet and was slowly moving towards the building when a man ran towards her, grabbing her by her hips and scooping her off the ground. Catherine’s eyes followed the two figures as they raced towards the CDC and just like Sue, Catherine’s mind was full of questions. The man who held Tennessee was had dark brown skin, most likely from the hot summer. He was taller than Catherine, with a lined up haircut, and shiny black waves that ran all along the top of his head.
His head turned towards Catherine and he smiled that sly smile that she always saw before withdrawing money from the bank, “Pete?” Catherine let the name slowly fall from her lips, it couldn’t be Pete. What would Robert’s brother be doing here? Catherine slowly started to turn around, her heart was pounding, it was a simple turn but is seemed like it took forever in that moment. When Catherine’s eyes came upon the CDC doors she saw them. Robert and Jordan firing into the hoard of zombie.
Catherine took in the sight of her husband, he stood tall, his dark skin and sweat shined in the sunlight. His beard had grown out since she last saw him, it was unkempt, with a new river or grey hairs running through the black. There was no fighting this, her tears had finally won the battle as Catherine softly said his name,“Robert.”
“Catherine! Run!” Sue shouted.
Pulling Catherine back into the real world once again. She started racing towards the building, the fire was back in her legs. The only thing that seemed to make it’s way into Catherine’s mind was her pain.
Her legs...
Her head…
But when her eyes fell onto Jordan, she swallowed the hurt and kicked into another gear. Running past Robert, Catherine burst through the door.
She almost knocked Jordan over as
his arms wrapped around her. He buried his face into Catherine’s chest, he was trying to hide the tears that were coming, but she felt them fill up her white tank top. Catherine's hand tussled Jordan's hair and she pulled back to look at him, she stared at the boy.
“Jordan?” she softly asked. It felt like him, looked like him, but still part of Catherine wondered if she died outside and this was all some kind of dream.
The boy smiled through the tears and just softly said, “I knew you were alive!”
Robert and Peter slammed the door shut and a woman in a dirty white lab coat, touched a keypad. Two large metal shutters started to lower behind the glass doors.
Robert rushed over to his family. His arms swung around Catherine and for the first time in what felt like forever, Robert ran his fingers through Catherine’s hair and kissed her. His family was whole again.
Catherine’s eyes were watering as she looked past the gap between Robert’s arm, she could see Sue standing there staring at them.
Catherine slowly broke away from her family and moved towards Sue. Sue softly asked, “You’re not gonna kick my ass are you?”
Catherine smiled and threw her arms around Sue, pulling the girl in for a deep embrace. They both let out a sigh, it was finally over. “Maybe tomorrow,” Catherine said.
Catherine pulled away from Sue and looked over at her husband as she asked, “Wait, what the hell are you doing here?”
Robert shook his head and looked over at Peter, who started to laugh, messing up Jordan’s hair, “It's along story, I don't think you're ready for it.” Robert said.
The Briggs boys started to laugh and while the walls outside were lined with flesh eating zombies, Catherine didn't care. Her eyes washed over Jordan, then Peter, then they landed on the hazel gaze that was Robert’s eyes. Catherine knew nothing could go wrong, not with him around.
Catherine looked over at the woman with the lab coat. Catherine had some many questions she needed to ask, but as she saw Tennessee getting to her feet she could only think of one.
“Faith?” Catherine asked
Tennessee shook her head, keeping her eyes to the floor.
Catherine looked back at Sue, whose eyes went over to the Briggs Boys, “Tell us everything,” Sue said.
CHAPTER 11
“So we set the place on fire, grabbed the doctor and headed here,” Robert’s voice was fading in and out of Catherine's ears as she continued loading bullets into her magazine.
Catherine’s eyes washed over her husband, who smiled the whole way through his story. She wanted to get lost in his tale, to get lost in his husky sweet voice, but every other moment she could see that her eyes weren’t the only ones entranced by her husband’s tale.
In a dirty white coat, standing in a corner away from the group was the doctor. Her eyes kept glaring over at Robert. There was a feeling in the air and as Catherine slammed the final bullet into her magazine her and the doctor’s eyes met. In that moment the feeling became clear, the doctor’s eyes quickly broke away from Catherine’s direction. There was something going on, Catherine smell it.
“So you and Doctor Giggles were just gonna fly off into the sunset together?” Catherine asked. Letting her back rest on the wall, she laughed. “Here I am, walking miles, fighting zombies, getting fucking kidnapped!” she said.
“Y'all got kidnapped?” Peter asked.
Catherine looked over and nodded as she childishly mocked, “Yes we got kidnapped!” She stood up and started making a B line to Robert, “I did everything to find you! I did everything and you didn't even look for me? You didn't even stop to wonder if I was alive?” she said.
Catherine's words were meant to be cold and vicious but as each new question left her lips. It sounded more hurt than the last.
“He looked for you,” Doctor Brooks said softly.
Tennessee laughed and shook her head, “ Yeah I don’t think you get to talk. You get to cry, maybe run, you damn sure get the opportunity to be knocked the fuck out but I don't think you get to talk sweetheart,” Tennessee said.
Sue walked up putting herself between Catherine and Robert, she stared at Catherine and said, “Look at me.” Tearfully Catherine turned her head as Sue softly said, “I don't know who she is, but what I do know...” Sue’s hand went up to Catherine's cheek, “Is he looked for you,” Sue added.
Catherine’s eyes started to water, she shook her head and went to rush off, but she was stopped by Jordan's arms wrapping around her. “We never stopped looking,” he said and as his words hit her ears Robert's arms consumed her from behind.
“That's beautiful! I love it, you're happy, he’s happy. The world's a beautiful fucking place! Now can we get back to the part where Doctor Hoe Pants has a way out?” Tennessee’s words ripped through to soft moment.
“You’re a bitch you know that?” Sue said
“I am not sleeping with Robert!” The Doctor shouted out like a child having a tantrum. Her hands were balled up into two fist. She slowly started to release her trapped fingers as the moment faded. Doctor Brooks did not enjoy the feeling of being ignored. Her biggest issue in life was feeling like people didn't listen to her, but now everyone was staring at her. She looked over at Peter and stomped her foot, “Peter!” she cried.
Robert's brother slowly put his hand up in the air with a light smile, “She's my...umm girl?” he said puzzled for a moment before adding, “Well we ain't talk labels yet.”
Sue folded her arms over her chest, and Tennessee laughed, “Why didn't you say something?” Sue asked softly.
Peter looked over at Catherine as he shrugged and said, “Kitty Cat scares me.”
“Don't call me that,” Catherine said, she broke free of her boys and walked over to the Doctor, their eyes met again and just like before the doctor’s eyes quickly broke away. When she was in a courtroom and the witness’s eyes would cut away, that was as good as a signed confession in Catherine’s. So people could stare you in the eyes and tell you the sky is green but other people just aren’t made for secrets.
“What’s the plan?” Catherine said softly.
Doctor Brooks folded her arms over her chest as she said, “That's it?” She laughed and pointed over her shoulder at Tennessee. “You and your guard dog here, owe me an apology”
Tennessee put her hand up and closed her eyes as she said, “Excuse me Doctor Hoe Pants, I don't believe the name calling is necessary. We’ve moved on.”
Catherine rolled her eyes and bit down on her lip, she let out a sigh, but right before the words left her lips the lights went out.
“Oh no, no, no,” Doctor Brooks softly said as she pushed past Catherine and started running down the hallway. Everyone one raced after her, but when Tennessee started down the hallway she felt a hand slam into her chest stopping her cold.
Catherine stepped forward till her and Tennessee were face to face, she felt Tennessee’s heart pounding under her touch for a moment before she dropped her hand, “This is the second time you've left with someone and came back alone,” Catherine said.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Tennessee said.
She gave Catherine a light pushed and whispered, “What the hell do you think I did?”
Catherine’s head went to the side and she smiled, “Don't touch me,” she said.
“Don't touch you? You're ass wasn't saying that when I patched you up!” Tennessee shouted as she pointed at Catherine's bandage. “You think I killed her?” she said.
“What I think, is Faith and Adam aren't here,” Catherine said.
“Faith bled out and Adam got eaten!” Tennessee said.
“Blood,” Catherine said softly.
“What?” Tennessee asked.
“You said Adam got attacked by a zombie in the truck, but if he did...” Catherine stepped forward and stared into Tennessee's eyes. Red lights were flashing around them. The sun shined down through the skylight. They stood there, dirty, bloody and broke much like the rest of the world, “Where was the bloo
d?” Catherine finally asked.
Tennessee stared, it was a blank stare. She didn't seemed worried or phased by the question, in fact she seemed like she knew it was coming. “I didn't do it,” Tennessee said softly.
Catherine looked down the hall, “We’re gonna regroup and get the hell out of this fucking state,” she softly said. Glaring back at Tennessee once again Catherine continued, “and then we’ll talk about why people seem to end up dead around you.”
Catherine started walking backwards slowly then she turned around and ran down the hall leaving Tennessee alone under the skylight.
“Oh, we’ll talk. We’ll talk real soon.” Tennessee whispered to herself.
CHAPTER 12
“ M axine!”
Footsteps echoed down the hallway as Peter and the others raced behind Doctor Maxine Brooks, who was turning corner after corner as she mumbled repeatedly to herself, “No, No, No,” Each time the word left her lips she swore a bit of her sanity went with it.
“Maxine!” Peter shouted every few moments in hopes of pulling her out of this crazed race of panic. His feet turned one last corner to find Maxine standing in front of a glass door.
The doctor stood there with her head pressed against the cool glass of the sliding door. Her fist slammed into the glass as she screamed, “Fuck!” Her hand came back quickly, shaking back and forth through the air as her eyes started to water.
Peter stopped a few feet behind her as the others started to catch up. Sue’s arms were wrapped around her midsection, slowly she started to slide down a nearby wall to the floor. Sue’s eyelids wrinkled as she squeezed them shut.
“You alright?” the voice pulled Sue away from the pain only for a moment as she looked up to see Catherine. Sue nodded and put her hand out letting Catherine pull her to her feet, “You took a beating back there Sue. Maybe you should hang back.”
Sue smiled and said, “I’m fine, I just wanna get the hell out of here.”
“We all do,” Robert said.
Planet Dead (Book 1): Bloodthirsty Page 14
