The Zombie Zovels (Book 1): Zombie Suburbia

by Lake, D. K

  I slipped inside mine not bothering to even say goodnight to anyone... or Lane, he hadn't even noticed I'd stayed behind to help Tammy. I listened to Amy and Jo talking about how much weight they wanted to lose after they had had their babies.

  I soon figured out the way the girls divided themselves. Amy and Jo in the corner, obsessed with how pregnant they were, I wondered if either one of them knew who the father was. Marina was the oldest, early forties, she liked sewing, and had had her nose in a book for most of the day. Then there was Carmen, who followed her step-dad, Dom, around like a love sick puppy. I wasn't sure what was going on there. Tammy kept to herself and didn't talk to anyone if she didn't have to, and the last two girls, Rhianna and Kara, whispered between themselves most of the time, like they had their own secret club. It was like high school all over again.

  “Lights out in ten,” Carmen said, poking her head around the door and clapping her hands, before disappearing again.

  I wedged my hoodie and jacket under my head to create a pillow and tried to get comfortable. I was still deciding if this was comfier than the tree when the lights went out.

  Amy switched a flashlight on and finished whatever it was she was doing.

  I closed my eyes, listening to Amy and Jo still nattering. I rolled around for a good thirty minutes, onto my back, onto my side, I couldn't get comfortable no matter what I did. Around 9 pm the room was quiet, except for Jo's snoring, and I thought Lane was a loud snorer.

  I stayed in my sleeping bag until 10.40pm, Amy made countless trips to the bathroom and I noticed two of the sleeping bags were empty. Carmen and Tammy were missing.

  I suddenly realized I was bursting for the toilet. I wriggled out of my sleeping bag and carefully tiptoed around the other sleeping bags, and out the door. On the floor in the corridor were three small flashlights, I bent over to pick one up when I heard whispering.

  I didn't switch the flashlight on and instead, I crept along the corridor toward the whispers. I carefully peeked around the corner. Dominic had Carmen pressed up against the wall, with her leg up around his waist as he held onto her thigh, she looked to be only wearing a long T-shirt. Oh, my...

  “Where were you the other night?” Dominic asked.

  “I told you, Amy didn't feel well, I was in the bathroom with her.”

  “Are you lying?”

  “No, of course not.”

  “You weren't with Maxwell were you?”

  “No, I definitely wasn't with Maxwell. Anyway, I saw the way you looked at the new girl,” Carmen said.

  “And you're not interested in Lane? You were all over him this evening.”

  Carmen laughed softly. “He's not my type, and I was only doing it to get your attention.” “You always have my attention, Carmen.”

  “But you like her,”

  “Maybe, it's not every day we get a new girl arrive on our doorstep.”

  Carmen made a whining sound.

  “You're still my favorite Carmy-Baby,”

  Eww! This is disgusting!

  “You're still gonna want to bed her, it's the same whenever a new girl turns up here. I know what you're like.”

  “Do you?”

  “Yes, and I know exactly what you like.” Carmen said in a seductive tone.

  Dominic grabbed her roughly causing her to gasp, then he forcefully pressed his lips to hers, and I made a quick exit, having seen enough.

  I ambled down the corridor and up the stairs to the bathroom, pleased I had a flashlight. This place was one step away from looking like something from a scary horror movie.

  I used the toilet and splashed cold water on my cheeks, then I smelt smoke.

  I followed the smell over to the shower area and found Tammy sitting cross-legged on the floor. “You found me.” she said.

  “What are you doing?” I asked.

  “Can't sleep. You want one?” she asked, holding a cigarette packet out to me.

  “No, I don't smoke.”

  “Your friend smokes.”

  “Like a chimney!” I said.

  “Tell him to keep his smokes close, they'll disappear in this place. Same goes for the stuff in your bag, things have a habit of going missing.”

  “You came all the way up here to have a secret smoke?”

  “That and Jo's snoring was driving me mad.”

  I laughed and scooted closer. “What's the deal with Carmen?”

  “You mean what's up with her and her sicko step-dad?”

  “Um, well, I wasn't going to word it quite like that.”

  “I don't really know, Dom does what he wants. It wasn't always like that, it started happening a few months ago, he got jealous of her and Maxwell.”

  “So she and Maxwell are a thing?”

  “Not Maxwell...” she said before taking a drag.

  I was going to ask who, but Tammy waved a flask in the air.

  “What's that?” I asked.

  “My secret stash. Don't tell anyone or I'll have it confiscated. Minors aren't allowed guns or alcohol in this place.”

  “But everything else goes?”

  “Yup, you got it.”

  “How old are you?” I asked, taking the flask and unscrewing the cap.

  “I was eighteen last week, you?”

  “Um... eighteen and a half. I had to think about that, it's not something I've been asked in a while.” “So you and Lane are married?” I knew by the way she said it she didn't believe it. I took a sip and felt the burn at the back of my throat. I cleared my throat and looked at her sitting in the shadows.

  “Will it make a difference?”

  “You mean if they think you're married?”

  I nodded, not sure if she could see me or not.

  “Maybe,” she replied anyway. “Maybe not. Dom usually gets whatever he wants.” she said, shifting around.

  I didn't even want to ask. I could just imagine what she had been through. I pulled off my sock and scratched my foot that felt itchy and sore.

  Tammy flicked her flashlight on and shone it on my foot.

  “What's wrong with your foot?” she asked before I got a chance to cover it.

  “It's nothing,”

  “It doesn't look like nothing.”

  “I trod on a piece of glass.”

  “And...”

  “And it's still sore.”

  “Let me see,”

  I showed her my foot, hoping she wouldn't run off and tell someone.

  “When did it happen?”

  “Last night.”

  “Well, you're not going to turn into a zombie.”

  “I never said I was.” I said.

  “I heard you and Lane talking before, when you first arrived at the Lab, you know, right after Dom made you strip to your undies.”

  “Err...”

  “Don't worry I won't tell anyone.”

  “Where were you hiding?” I asked.

  “Behind the locker cabinet and the tall glass case.”

  “Huh?”

  “Just be careful in the future, this place has eyes and ears everywhere.”

  “How do you know it's not infected? You obviously heard Lane and me talking about it.” “If you get bitten or scratched, within hours the wound usually gets this nasty yellow crust around it and you'd smell it, and if you get their blood in your system you usually start experiencing headaches, stomach cramps, or vomiting within a few hours, have you had any of those symptoms?”

  “Nope.”

  “Then I think you're going to live.”

  “So I'm not going to turn into a zombie,”

  “No,” Tammy laughed. “How did this happen anyway?”

  “I was fighting zombies, barefoot, in the dark, and I happened to tread on a piece of glass.” “That sounds really hardcore.” she said, stubbing her cigarette out and moving closer to me, then she took my foot in both hands to have a closer look.

  “It was Lane's fault, he decided to take a trip to the bathroom in the middle of the night.” “
Well, I've got some antiseptic cream downstairs, but I'm not sure if you haven't still got a piece of glass in there.”

  “Really?” I said, twisting my foot around to have another look.

  “Yup, I think there's a slither still in there. Stay here, if Dom sees that he might lock you in a room on your own. I'll be back in a minute, we've got a First Aid kit with some tweezers.” she said, stepping over my legs.

  “Your flask,” I said, holding it up to her.

  “Hold onto it for me until I get back, I don't want anyone to catch me with it.”

  I nodded and leaned back against the wall.

  I watched her flashlight dart around the floor as she walked away, then I heard the door open and close when she left. I waited for a couple of minutes, hoping I could trust her. I took another sip and decided I didn't even like the stuff. I screwed the cap back on and heard the door open and close again. I waited for Tammy to walk around the corner, but she didn't. I heard shuffling along the floor, and a few cubicle doors swung open.

  I slowly stood up and peered around the corner, but didn't see anyone.

  What if Tammy is lying? What if she told Dom and he's come up here to catch me? Those were just a few of the many thoughts running through my head.

  I made a quick dash for the door, as quietly as possibly. I didn't get very far before a pair of strong arms grabbed me from behind. I tried to scream but a large hand covered my mouth and my scream came out muffled.

  “Alex, shh... it's just me,” Lane whispered in my ear.

  I stopped struggling and he put me down. I turned around in his arms to face him. “What are you doing in here?” I asked.

  “I couldn't sleep, I kept hearing these weird moans coming from the corridor.”

  A laugh escaped me.

  “What's funny?” he asked.

  “Must be your imagination.” I said, trying not to laugh again.

  “I saw Tammy in the corridor and she said you were up here, she's gone to get a First Aid kit or something.”

  “Yeah, for my foot. It's still sore, she thinks there's a piece of glass in it.”

  Lane tilted his head, and looked down at my foot, not that he was going to see much from up there and in the dark toilets.

  He leaned down, I wasn't sure what he was doing and I was about to smack him, but he quickly scooped me up into his arms.

  “You shouldn't be putting pressure on it.” he said.

  I put my arms around his neck, and he carried me over to the sinks and set me down on the side. He took the flashlight from me and had a look at my foot.

  “What do you think?” I asked.

  “I think you have glass in your foot. Why didn't you let me look at this before now?” “I dunno, it hasn't bothered me that much, and I didn't want you poking at my zombie infected wound.”

  Lane straightened up, placed the torch on the side and took my face in his hands. “Lane, don't,” I said, trying to pull his hands away.

  “Why don't you let me look after you for a change?”

  “You can hardly look after yourself.”

  “We're going to be all right here.” he said.

  “I hope you're right.”

  “Do you want to know the real reason why I couldn't sleep?”

  “I think I can guess,” I said.

  “It doesn't feel right falling asleep without you.”

  I reached up and held onto his wrist.

  “I don't think I like this place.” I whispered, afraid the walls would hear me.

  His hands dropped away and he placed both hands on the counter, he sniffed, and coughed, a deep chesty cough.

  “You need to stop smoking.” I said.

  “You need to stop telling me what to do.”

  “I can't, it's the only thing that keeps you alive some days.”

  “Alex,”

  “Don't look at me like that.” I said firmly.

  “Like what?”

  “Like that!”

  It was a look that said everything I felt. I cared for Lane more than I liked to admit. He moved closer to me and nudged my legs apart and took my face in his hands again. “No,” I said.

  “You didn't say no the first time I kissed you.” he said.

  “A lot has changed since then.”

  “Not the way I feel about you. You still drive me crazy... in a good way.” he said, tracing his thumb along my lip.

  He leaned closer to me and every inch closer, I moved further away, but he pulled me back to him and crushed his lips to mine.

  I placed my hands on his chest and slowly slid them over his broad shoulders... and, in my moment of weakness, I gave into him. Every time Lane kissed me he left me breathless. I devoured his kiss, desperately wanting more of him.

  The bathroom door opened and we quickly broke apart.

  “Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt,” Tammy said, shining her flashlight in our direction. “It's okay.” I said, gently pushing Lane away.

  “Right let's take a look at this foot.” Tammy said, placing the First Aid kit on the side. Fifteen minutes later of me squirming around, Lane trying to restrain me, and Tammy prodding my foot with a pair of tweezers, we finally got the minutest piece of glass out.

  Tammy wanted one more smoke before we went back downstairs. I managed to get Lane out of the bathroom and said goodnight to him, he was reluctant to leave me, but I wanted five minutes alone with Tammy.

  Tammy sat on the counter the other side of the sink and I sat on the side with my foot up on my lap, picking at the band-aid on the sole of my foot.

  “Thanks again,” I said.

  “It's no problem, you two seem all right.”

  I smiled and looked at her. The bathroom was dark but I could just about make out her features. “Can I ask you something?”

  “Sure.” she said.

  “How did you get those marks on your ankle?”

  She didn't answer and stubbed out her cigarette in the sink.

  “Did one of them chain you up?”

  She hopped off the counter and picked up the First Aid kit.

  “A word of advice, don't step out of line and do as you're told. If one of them asks you to do something just do it and don't answer back... and you should be fine.”

  She turned to leave.

  “Tammy... how did you get those marks on your ankle.” I asked again, sliding off the counter. She opened the door, switched on her flashlight, and turned to look at me.

  “Don't ask questions you already know the answers to.”

  Then she let the door swing shut.

  That night I didn't sleep much, I tossed and turned all night, waking up in cold sweats, with a knot in my stomach. I didn't feel safe here.

  Chapter 10

  Five Weeks Later. “Get up,” Lane whispered, gently nudging me.

  I knew it was Lane, but I was still half asleep and couldn't bring myself to look at him. He started shaking me, and I reluctantly opened my eyes.

  “What are you doing? You shouldn't be in here.” I said quietly, sitting up in my sleeping bag. “We need to get out of here. Now!”

  “No. We decided to wait another week. We talked about this. What time is it anyway?” I was still groggy from sleep and yawning.

  “5.50am.” he replied.

  “This is-is a bad idea, we're not prepared enough.”

  “Well, my rucksack is already full of supplies from the kitchen.”

  “What! Did you steal them? Are you trying to get yourself killed?”

  “We're leaving. Get dressed.”

  Lane was already on his feet, pulling my jeans from my bag, and chucking them at me. I caught them and looked around. All the other girls appeared to still be asleep. I wriggled out of my sleeping bag and stood up, tugging on my jeans. I quickly found my hoodie and denim jacket. “I can't believe you. We said we'd stay another week, then go over our options.”

  “There are no more options, Alex. There is no way I'm letting that scumbag lay a finger on you.” “Ve
ry chivalrous of you, but I don't think waking me up in the middle of the night and dragging me out into God-knows-where with the possibility of being eaten by zombies is any better.” “Ssssh!” he hissed, pushing my bag into my hands.

  I started to follow him and looked back over my shoulder one last time at my bed. It wasn't really a bed, a sleeping bag rolled out on some old mats, but it was the closest thing I had had to a bed in ages. On the way out I managed to trip over one of the other girl's sleeping bags. I quickly tiptoed the rest of the way and found Lane waiting for me outside in the corridor.

  “That Rhianna girl is a light sleeper. She might have heard us.”

  Me and my clumsy departure.

  “Okay,” Lane breathed out.

  “Where are they all?” I asked, lifting my messenger bag over my head.

  “In their off-limits area, except Scottie, I don't know where he is.”

  I looked both ways, then at Lane. He lifted his hoodie to reveal a gun tucked into his belt. “Is that my gun?” I asked.

  “Yep, nabbed it during dinnertime when no one was watching.”

  “Well, give it here,” I said, holding my hand out. “You don't even know how to use it.” I added. “No.” he said, standing up straighter, shadowing me.

  “No? Lane, as soon as they figure out we're trying to escape and that we have also stolen from them, they will either shoot us or chain us up. We will be considered the enemies. The only pair of idiots willing to risk their lives to go back outside.”

  “Shut up!” Lane said firmly.

  “Did you really just shut me up?”

  A figure appeared from the girls' room. My heart jumped into my mouth, panicking it was Carmen, but I think her sleeping bag was empty when I left the room.

  “Tammy,” I breathed.

  “You're really leaving?” she whispered.

  I looked at Lane then back at her and nodded.

  “Come with us,” I said.

  She shook her head and wrapped her arms around herself.

  “I can't go with you. He's already tried to talk me into it.” She smiled at Lane.

  “Why not?” I asked.

  “I don't want to go back out there. I can't do it.”

  I chewed on my lip. I didn't like the idea of leaving Tammy here.... with the real monsters. “You go, I'll be fine,” she said, looking back into the room. “Go now, Amy's stirring.” I quickly pulled her into a hug. “Be careful of the fence on the way out.” she whispered in my ear. She took one last look at me, glumly smiled, and shooed us away before disappearing back into the girls' room. I turned around to look at Lane but he was already skulking away.