As The World Dies Trilogy Box Set [Books 1-3]

by Frater, Rhiannon

  Travis leaned forward, turned the knob, and shoved the door open, revealing the manager’s office. There were two little black and white TV sets on the desk. Both were on. The office looked empty. Katie and Travis both looked at each other and shrugged.

  Then they head the whispering. “Not fast … enough … not fast … enough … not fast … enough…”

  Travis and Katie slid into the office, nearly filling the narrow space. Drawing close to the desk, they looked over and saw the tip of a woman’s pink shoe.

  “Hello?” Katie’s voice cracked slightly.

  “Not fast … enough … not fast … enough…”

  A woman’s pale face appeared out of the shadows. She gazed up at them for an instant, then retreated back under the desk.

  “Not fast … enough … not fast … enough…”

  Katie leaned forward enough to see the woman’s eyes glinting in the light from the twin TVs. Katie looked at the monitors. The security videotape was playing, showing what had happened on that horrible first day. A man was lying on the floor, having a violent fit. People were gathered all around him. Then he stilled. Even though she knew it was coming, when he sat up and grabbed the nearest person and attacked, Katie jumped. Some people ran. Others just stood and gaped. The man stood up after wresting a huge chunk of flesh from his first victim.

  A woman spun around and ran, with a little boy following. They were almost to the back of the store and out of the camera’s view when the first zombie grabbed the boy.

  The VCR rewound. Katie peered under the desk and saw that the woman was clutching a remote control.

  “… not fast … enough…,” the voice whispered.

  Travis glanced at Katie and then returned his gaze to the screen. “Oh, God.”

  Katie took a deep breath. “Ralph! We found a survivor!”

  The minute the words were out of her mouth, she wondered if it was true. For from beneath the desk came a voice devoid of life whispering, “Not … fast … enough. …”

  2.

  The Abyss

  “… not fast … enough … not fast … enough…”

  Katie wedged herself past Travis so she could kneel down and really see the woman hunkered under the desk.

  The woman flinched when she saw Katie and turned her head to one side, her body quivering. She kept one eye firmly on the TV sets as she tried to draw her legs under the desk.

  “C’mon,” Katie said. “Let’s get you out of here.”

  “… not fast … enough…,” she said again.

  One of the refugee’s hands was curled around the remote control. The other hand was braced against the side of the desk. She was a young woman who was so haggard she looked old. It was difficult to determine the color of her hair it was so filthy and her dirty skin was stretched taut over her facial features, her arms and legs emaciated. She reeked of urine and shit. Katie could see that she was sitting in a nest of her own filth.

  Katie pulled the bandanna away from her nose and mouth so it hung loose around her neck. The smell was awful, but she needed the woman to look at her and not at the TV.

  “My name is Katie. This is Travis. Our friends Ralph and Bill are here, too. We’re going to take you somewhere safe.”

  The woman shook her head violently, but her eyes never left the TV. “… not fast … enough…”

  Katie looked over at Travis. “This isn’t going to be easy.”

  He looked perplexed and out of his depth. “Just tell me what to do.”

  Katie edged forward and reached out to the woman. “We’re going to take you away from here. Please, give me your hand. You can take a shower and eat some food.”

  The woman again shook her head; one bright blue eye fastened determinedly on the TV.

  Katie looked at the image replaying once more on the grainy black-and-white set. Sighing, she said to Travis, “Get ready.”

  He blinked, confused.

  Katie twisted around and ejected the tape from the VCR.

  With a hoarse scream, the woman was on her immediately. Her bony, desperate hands clawed at Katie’s, trying to wrest the tape from her fingers. Travis grabbed the bone-thin woman about the waist and lifted her up into the air and over the desk.

  Kicking and screaming, the woman thrashed in his arms. Her body twisted into odd angles, and dried bits of excrement fell from her dress and legs. Katie gagged but managed to get to her feet despite the woman’s flailing legs. The woman’s eyes were wide, terrified, and uncomprehending. Katie handed her the tape.

  The woman instantly went limp, clutching the tape and the remote control against her heaving chest. Her staring eyes saw nothing; Katie guessed that the black-and-white images were still replaying in her mind’s eye when she once again murmured, “… not fast … enough.”

  Now that she was still, Travis set her on her feet. The woman swayed but stood, staring blankly. Katie took hold of her arm. Ralph and Bill stood in the doorway, both wearing looks of utter shock and revulsion.

  Finally, Bill said, “It’s Laura Matthews.”

  “I opened the door when I first checked the store a few days ago, and nothing ran at me or answered when I called out. I didn’t think to look under the desk,” Ralph said remorsefully. “I’m sorry, Laura, hon. I didn’t know you were hiding.”

  Laura Matthews didn’t move. She showed no recognition of her name.

  “She had a son?” Katie questioned.

  “Younger brother. She basically raised him after their mom died.” Ralph shook his head sadly. “We dumped his body with the rest of them a few days back.”

  “How did she survive?” Bill looked amazed.

  Ralph pointed toward a water dispenser tucked near the desk. “Probably drank water. Don’t need food as long as you got water. At least for a while.”

  “I’ll take her to Nerit,” Katie volunteered.

  “Travis, go with her to keep watch. Bill and I will finish up,” Ralph decided.

  Katie gently pulled on her arm, and Laura stumbled but managed to walk. Katie carefully led her through the store, trying not to breathe deeply or look into the young woman’s vacant eyes. Once outside, the girl shuddered and grabbed tighter to the tape and the remote. Katie looked at Travis to see that he was quite ashen. She tried to smile reassuringly at him as they walked across the road.

  A shriek made her jump and drop the girl’s arm. A flash of movement had her twirling around, gun raised.

  “Shit!” Travis fumbled with the safety on his gun.

  Katie saw something streaking toward her, a flash of red, black, and white. She raised the rifle effortlessly and fired. Fine red spray splattered her and Laura as the zombie sprawled onto the ground a few feet from them.

  “Yep. Still not safe,” Ralph said as he stepped into the road behind them, drawn out of the store by the gunfire.

  Katie took hold of the young woman’s arm again. Laura was staring at the zombie, blood splatter decorating her drawn features and scrawny body.

  “… not … fast … enough…,” she said.

  Katie sighed. “Yes, we were. We were fast enough. We’re safe. You’re safe.”

  She pulled the girl along toward safety. But as they walked, Katie realized that the young woman so desperately clutching the videotape of her brother’s death would never truly be safe again.

  3.

  Down the Rabbit Hole

  Katie pulled Laura into the hunting store, then turned toward the men. “I have her. You guys can finish up.”

  Travis looked into her eyes. “Katie…” He faltered, as if he wanted to say something but wasn’t sure what.

  “Nerit and I will take care of her.”

  He nodded and left the store. The door shut behind him with a loud click.

  Laura was shivering violently, her teeth chattering. Katie gently led her along, trying not to be aware of the sweaty, greasy feel of the woman’s skin.

  “Nerit!”

  The older woman appeared at the top of the stairs, ex
claimed, “Laura!” and rushed down.

  “She was in the grocery store. Hiding under the manager’s desk,” Katie explained as she helped Nerit guide the catatonic girl up the stairs.

  “But Ralph looked…”

  “She’s in shock. She wouldn’t have responded to Ralph. She just kept watching the security tape of her brother dying over and over again.”

  “… not fast … enough…,” Laura whispered.

  Nerit said softly, “It’s okay, Laura. You’re safe now.”

  Laura did not even glance in her direction.

  Together, Katie and Nerit got the girl up the stairs and into the shower—fully clothed. Her dress was plastered to her skin with her own urine and excrement, so it would have been hard to remove without hurting her. The water soon ran hot and cleansing over the young woman’s emaciated form, but she barely blinked, barely acknowledged what was happening. She just clung to the VCR tape and the remote control and stared straight ahead, whispering, “… not fast … enough…”

  Once the water ran clear, Katie and Nerit undressed the girl with some difficulty. They had to make sure Laura always had a grip on the tape as they maneuvered her arms out of her sleeves. Both winced at the sight of her wizened body. Laura’s ribs and pelvis stood out sharply beneath her pale skin. Nerit and Katie didn’t speak as they bathed the girl. Cleaning her up with clinical aloofness seemed the only way to avoid feeling the sheer horror of this woman’s mental and physical condition.

  Finally, when they were done, they dressed her in one of Nerit’s nightgowns and gently guided her to the kitchen. The entire time, the girl did not release the tape or the remote control.

  “Sit down, Laura,” Nerit said gently.

  The young woman obeyed. Her black hair fell to her chin framing a face with blue eyes, a strong nose, and a wide mouth. She looked like she might be of Eastern European descent and Katie wondered if her ancestors were some of the original Czech settlers in this area of Texas.

  Katie sat down across from the girl and finally let herself feel the brutal reality of it all. The girl had been starving to death slowly since this had all begun. While she and Jenni had taken refuge with Nerit and Ralph, this young woman had been in that office, with zombies on the other side of the door. It must have been awful, and Katie felt guilty at her relief that she was not in her shoes.

  Nerit sat down with a small container of pudding in her hand. She opened it and spooned a little out. “Laura, it’s time to eat.”

  Laura turned toward Nerit and opened her mouth.

  Katie guessed hunger had finally made Nerit’s voice register with the girl. She watched Nerit tenderly place the spoon in the girl’s mouth. Laura slowly closed her lips, and her jaw worked slightly. For some reason, it was too much to bear.

  “I need a breather.” Katie stood.

  Nerit nodded, accepting. “Go. I will stay with her.”

  Katie walked out of the kitchen and onto the balcony. She stood there, gripping the railing and taking deep breaths. She felt like a bitch abandoning Nerit, but she couldn’t deal with this right now. She just couldn’t. At the same time, she couldn’t just do nothing at all.

  Moving, she snagged her rifle as she went through the living room, and went downstairs to help the men load the truck. They were surprised to see her, but she simply said, “I need to help,” and immediately went to work, packing boxes with supplies while Ralph stood watch over the street.

  Everything was boxed, labeled, and taped shut. There were two piles—one for the supplies Nerit and Ralph would keep, and the other for what would go to the fort. Once the pallet was packed, they began securing the load, using ropes, a large hunting net, nails, and wire. By the time they were done, Katie was certain nothing would be tumbling off the thick pallet. Four thick towing chains were attached to the four corners of the pallet. The chains connected to a large metal loop that rested on top of the supplies. Katie knew that the plan was to attach the pallet to the crane’s hook back at the fortress and use it to lift them all over the wall. She had felt leery about this plan at first, but now, seeing what Travis had concocted, she felt a bit more secure.

  As they walked inside, Travis rested his hand on her shoulder and drew her aside. “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah, sure. …” Katie started to pull away, but Travis tugged her back.

  “I don’t think you are.”

  Pressing her lips into a firm line, she struggled to control her emotions. “That girl … Jenni was like her in the beginning. Staring ahead, not talking, just blank. But she snapped out of it.”

  Travis flinched. “Oh.”

  “I see what Jenni could have been in that girl.”

  “Oh.” Travis rubbed her arm lightly and kissed her forehead very tenderly. “But Jenni’s okay.”

  Katie closed her eyes. “It’s sheer luck, Travis. You, me, Jenni, all of us … being alive. Being okay. We were just lucky to get to safety. We all could have been Laura.”

  His fingers were very gentle as he stroked her hair. “Yes, but that reverend saved you and you saved Jenni.”

  “And you saved us,” Katie added. She fastened her gaze on him. “This world is fragile. I can’t bear to think too much, of what it would be like to lose…” Her voice broke.

  “Jenni.”

  “Or Jason. Or Jack,” she hesitated. “Or you … Nerit … Ralph.”

  He smoothed her hair and gave her a little hug. “I have waking nightmares. I see people—the people around me—transformed into those things. Juan, the mayor, Peggy … When you were sick, I kept seeing you like that. Just for a split second. A waking nightmare of my—”

  “—fear,” she finished for him.

  “Yes.”

  Katie looked up at him, her eyes full of tears. “I think we all have those fears.”

  “We’ll take Laura home with us. We’ll help her find her way back to the land of the living. We’ll keep each other alive.” Travis’s voice was full of determination.

  Katie draped her arms around his waist and hugged him. “Help each other be strong and not afraid.”

  Travis held her as he nodded. “Yes. We’ll go home tomorrow. To Jenni and Jason and the dog and all the others.”

  Katie let herself relax into Travis’s warm embrace. His strength reminded her of her father. His arms felt so safe and comforting.

  “We’ll be okay,” Travis promised.

  “Of course. We have no other choice.”

  “Besides, I promised Jenni I’d build her a gazebo so she wouldn’t get sunburned.”

  “Oh, you did?” Katie giggled at the thought of Jenni relaxing in the shade of a fancy gazebo.

  “Yeah. I have a soft spot for beautiful women,” Travis said with a grin.

  “That’s something we have in common,” she quipped.

  Travis slung his arm around Katie’s neck and guided her toward the steps. “You’re the prettiest competition I ever had,” he teased her.

  Katie smirked at him as they climbed the stairs to join the others.

  4.

  In the Heart of the Abyss

  Nerit helped Laura lie down on a couch in the living room and covered her with a light blanket. She sat with her and stroked her clean hair until the girl finally slept. Even in her sleep, Laura still clutched the VCR remote and the VHS tape.

  Dinner was a low-key affair. Though Nerit made a delicious meal of baked chicken, sweet potatoes, and green beans and Ralph opened a bottle of wine, the conversation was muted and there was a great sense of sorrow at the table.

  Since the day things had changed with the arrival of the zombies, Katie had found refuge in working hard, planning, just keeping herself and her friends alive. Laura had brought the reality of this new world starkly into view. It was hard to deny the horror that existed in the world beyond their tiny conclaves of safety. Finding Laura had reminded Katie that Laura’s fate was the norm, not theirs. She, Jenni, Jason, Ralph and Nerit, Travis and the others at Ashley Oaks—they were lucky. F
or one reason or another, they had escaped the initial bloodbath. Laura was also alive, but not nearly so lucky. How many, like her, had survived the initial outbreak only to slowly starve to death as the dead grew to dominate the earth? How many, like her, were shells of their former selves, their minds broken by the horrors they had seen? How many of the lucky ones would one day see something too terrible to endure and slip into that twilight world … or become one of the walking dead?

  All this remained unsaid. They spoke instead of their plans to keep themselves safe, alive, and healthy. They had the luxury of being in a remote area, far from the cities that were surely overrun with the dead. And they knew it. It was a blessing and a burden.

  After dinner, Katie walked onto the rooftop patio and sat in a chair next to Ralph. She didn’t speak, just looked up at the brilliance of the stars above as the fragrant smoke from Ralph’s pipe trailed up to the heavens.

  “It’s not the end, Katie. Just the next step,” Ralph finally said.

  “We are all acting like we’re at a funeral,” Katie decided with a sigh.

  “I think we are. The funeral of the world. And we’re the mourners, the survivors, picking up the pieces and finding a way to move on,” Ralph said in one of the longest sentences she had ever heard him utter.

  “I feel so guilty,” she confessed.

  Ralph dipped his chin in agreement. “It’s called survivor’s guilt, and I betcha we all got it.”

  “I see Laura and know that I could easily have been her. Or a zombie. I don’t understand why I’m here.”

  “To live. Keep going. Rebuild.” Ralph gazed at her steadily, eyes never wavering from her face.

  “Sounds so easy,” Katie breathed.

  “But it’s not. This is a new and dangerous world. Got a map downstairs with circles around pockets of survivors. I talk to them online or on the CB. Each day, fewer people respond. Maybe the grid in their area has gone down or the Internet has failed. Or maybe they’re dead. It’s a tough world. Every day, I talk to a trucker stuck out in the hills somewhere. He ran out of gas. He’s low on food. I can’t go get him because he doesn’t know where he is. He’s going to die out there. And I’m his only friend.”