Claws of Doom Read online

  For a whole second, I breathed out, relieved and thinking it might just be over. But barely had I had time to congratulate myself for surviving before the sound of footsteps thumped behind me, warning me of someone’s arrival. I spun around quickly, focusing my gaze on the tall figure hovering over me.

  “Your first zombie kill.” Nick slapped my back. “You did good, man! If the girls’ headcount was right, there’re about two left.”

  Adrenalin pumped through my veins. “Well, what’re we waiting for? Let’s go take down those slimy suckers!” I glanced around, and my senses went on full alert.

  Another goon advanced toward me. This one was missing an eye. Its decomposing leg was covered with thin, blackened and bloodied shreds of rotting flesh, and severed bone was visible through its torn, tattered jeans.

  I gagged.

  “You got this, bro?” Nick asked.

  I held my position. “Bring it on!”

  “Good. I’ll take the other one—the one coming from the right. The more we can knock out with the first strike, the better.”

  I wiped my brow with my sleeve. “Don’t worry! I got this.”

  A female zombie stumbled over like a drunken sailor, letting out a gurgling moan, holding out her arms, as though she were a long-lost friend aiming for a hug.

  “Sorry, honey, but you’re not my type,” I muttered. “Besides, I’m pretty sure you like me for my brains and not my looks.” Focusing on my target, I charged, running toward the zombie at full speed before I kicked it. As it fell to the ground, I swung my sledgehammer and dealt the final blow, crushing its skull. The zombie slumped into a messy heap at my feet, but I had no time to marvel at how easy it had been. I glanced up, noticing another one coming and another one after that. Crap! Where are they all coming from? The girls had told us that only a handful of zombies were after them, but there were far more than that. Nick was busy taking down one after the other, which meant I was on my own.

  Another rotting corpse headed toward me on unbalanced feet. I struck him, but then another one came right from behind. I swung around and struck him in the nose as I turned my hips into the blow. He stumbled back. I raised my sledgehammer and readied myself to take down the next zombie. Something grabbed hold of my ankle and started to pull with strength that didn’t seem possible, especially from a dead thing. I fell backward on my butt, sending my weapon flying straight out of my hands. The zombie I thought I had killed wasn’t actually dead. Crap! Nick was right. Never underestimate these things. I kicked and flailed, trying to smash its face, but it would not release the death grip it had on my boot— I had forgotten that zombies were not capable of feeling—even pain.

  I assumed a combat fighting stance and immediately went for the closest zombie with scraggly black hair and a missing left arm. It was shirtless and flat out nasty. I wanted to gag at the chunks of skin missing from its bulbous stomach, and the dangling ropes of intestine dragging behind the man with every lumbering step. I struck it hard in the nose, sending the shattered bone up into the thing’s brain. The man slumped to the ground with a gurgling sound in his throat.

  Another one came. I swung. The sickening sound of shattering skull seemed to reverberate throughout the air. I watched it tumble forward, and then brought my booted heel down hard on its head.

  From a distance, ghouls staggered toward me in every direction. Their zombie moans made the hair on my neck prickle. “Remind me why I wanted to do this again,” I muttered. My brother didn’t answer. A zombie snapped at my boot like some kind of wild animal and bit me. Luckily, its teeth couldn’t penetrate leather. Or so I hoped.

  A shot echoed in the crisp morning air, and the zombie suddenly let go of me. Its brains seemed to explode from its head, painting the grass in a fresh coat of gore. Nick fired four consecutive shots and took down the zombies closest to me, but others kept coming.

  I jumped to my feet, scanning the grass for my weapon. A glint of light shone off to the left. I scrambled over and picked up the sledgehammer I’d dropped when the zombie had attacked me.

  After three more shots cut through the silence, Nick yelled, “I’m out of ammo!”

  My heart thundered against my ribs. I wanted to play action hero, but reality set in— I couldn’t do it on my own. We were outnumbered. “Nick!” I shouted. A zombie’s head flew off its skinny neck as Nick’s blade whacked through its throat. My heart almost burst through my chest as I watched a dozen zombies surround him. There was no doubt he was tough, but there was no way even he could take on so many at once.

  The rotting lady in the red dress sneered and growled as she moved toward me. The left side of her face, from cheek to throat had been ripped away. I had nothing but my wits about me. Well, that and a wicked sledgehammer. The decomposing woman half staggered toward me. I took her down in one quick blow.

  My fingers tightly wrapped around my weapon when I heard one of those things growling behind me. I spun around. Black slime oozed from its mouth, and for a split second, I stared into its lifeless eyes. Moaning in a grotesque fashion, it inched closer to me, but I was ready. Before I even got a chance to swing, a loud crack sounded in the air, and the zombie collapsed in front of me.

  I glanced at the house. Val stood just outside the door, a rifle tucked into her shoulder. She squeezed out one shot after another, taking down the rest of the undead army like some kind of female gunslinger. If Nick had ever doubted her being our sister, she had just proven his doubts wrong. Without hesitation, I started pounding skull after skull.

  She smiled at me and then turned her attention to Nick, who looked stunned.

  “Camouflage gear and combat boots?” she asked. “You’re military all the way, aren’t you?”

  “You know it.”

  “I figured as much.”

  “Where did you find a rifle?” Nick asked.

  “There’s a false wall in the bedroom closet. It’s loaded with guns and ammo.”

  “That’s awesome!” I said.

  Nick flashed his famous white smile. “You’re as resourceful as me.”

  Val shrugged. “Well, what can I say? I’m the curious type.”

  “That was a compliment,” Nick said, slapping her shoulder slightly, “because I’m pretty resourceful myself.”

  A hue of red flushed across her cheeks. “Uh…okay. In that case, thanks.”

  Never much one for giving out words of praise, Nick rubbed the back of his neck, slightly embarrassed. “Uh…I didn’t have too much time to look around. You were passed out, and I was worried for everyone’s safety with all those zombies around, and—”

  Val grinned. “No need for explanations. We’re all on the same team. But if I were you, I’d go upstairs and get some more ammo for your gun.” She then reached down and threw me a handgun, which I caught in one swift move.

  She regarded me from under lowered brows. “You know how to use one, right?”

  “Yep,” I said. “I’ve been training at the shooting gallery for some time now.”

  “Good.”

  Nick put his gun away. “Thanks for saving our butts back there.”

  Her blue eyes twinkled. “Hey, what are long-lost sisters for?”

  We both smiled.

  “It’s nice to finally meet you, Nicholas,” she continued.

  “Please call me Nick. I-I don’t even know where to begin. I have so many questions. This entire thing has totally taken me by surprise.”

  She grinned.

  Nick ran up to her, hugged her tight, and spun her in a circle. “Dean told me a little, but not much.”

  “We’ll catch up later, huh?” she asked.

  He nodded, and then motioned around to the dead zombies on the ground. “I didn’t know I had such a tough sister.”

  I laughed and joined in on the reunion.

  Val held our hands as tears welled up in her eyes. “I’ve waited so long for this moment. I’ve met my biological parents, and now I’ve met both of my siblings. This is best day of my lif
e! I couldn’t possibly let those monsters take that away from me.”

  My brother tucked his gun away. “Girl, we crashed in the middle of Zombie Land.”

  “It doesn’t matter. We’re together, and that’s all that counts.”

  Even though it had barely been a day, I already loved her just as much as I loved Nick. I knew how important it was for us, a family, to stick together through thick and thin. I did have to wonder, however, if humanity would even survive the cruel plague of reanimated cannibals. It wouldn’t be easy, but deep down, I felt we’d somehow make it. We had too —failure was absolutely not an option.

  “Hey, do you have that cure with you?” Val asked. “Now might be a good time to use it.”

  She wanted to use it because she was slowly beginning to change— I could see that much in her eyes. I thought about how I could break the news and soften the blow, but it would be like trying to hit someone gently with a battle axe. “I do, but I can’t give it to you yet.”

  Mistrust filled her voice. “Why not?”

  I realized I’d have to tell her delicately, so she wouldn’t flip.

  “You’re going to have to let the change occur first, become a zombie,” my brother chimed in. “I’m sorry, because it’s going to suck, but there’s no other choice. As much as I detest it, we’ll be there for you. When the time is right, I’ll give you the antidote.”

  Val’s jaw dropped, and various emotions crossed her features, from dread to disbelief, then back to dread.

  I elbowed my brother. “I was going to tell her in a nicer way than that,” I half-whispered.

  “There’s no way to sugarcoat it, bro. She needs to know the truth.”

  “But I…I can’t…I don’t want to turn into one of those things!” Val’s eyes brimmed with tears.

  “It’s the only way,” I softly said, rubbing my hand up and down her back, which was about all I could do. As much as I wanted to help, I was helpless. I couldn’t even find the right words to soothe her, if soothing was even possible at that point.

  I expected a fit or lots of crying. She did neither. She just spun around and headed toward the house, her long hair dangling behind her like a curtain.

  “Wait!” I shouted, running after her. “Where’re you going?”

  “I need to punch something, preferably a wall.”

  I looked at Nick. “Yep, she definitely has our temper.” Of course, if I’d have been faced with the same dilemma, I’d probably have wanted to start punching holes in things too.

  “C’mon,” Nick said. “Punching a wall will solve nothing. Trust me on that. I’ve only done it a million times. Some of the holes I’ve left aren’t pretty, and my knuckles weren’t either. Like I said, it accomplishes absolutely nothing.”

  She stopped and turned slowly, her eyes ablaze. “Fine! Then I’m going to give those chicks you picked up a piece of my mind.”

  “Geez. You should’ve just let her go hit the wall,” I mumbled.

  She threw her hands up in the air. “You two left me in the hands of complete and utter idiots. Had I not woken up, we’d all be dead!”

  I hated to admit it, but she was right. Even if the girls didn’t want to fight, they could’ve been our eyes and ears and let us know which way the zombies were coming from so we wouldn’t have had to worry about sneak attacks. Instead, they just hid inside the house after we risked our lives to help them find shelter.

  “You’re angry at us,” Nick yelled, “not them. You’re mad at the way the cure works. I understand, because I’d be pissed, too, but you can’t take out your anger on them.”

  “Who in the heck dresses fashionable in the middle of a zombie apocalypse anyway?” she said. “Look at me. I’m wearing blue jeans, a t-shirt, and some great running shoes to get me the heck out of Dodge should the need arise. Really, who are they trying to impress? You can’t turn on a freaking zombie, no matter how cute your outfit is!”

  “Maybe they have a thing for Bob.”

  “Bob?”

  I pointed down at the dead zombie in the mechanic’s work suit. “At least that’s what his name tag says.”

  She rolled her eyes, obviously not finding my joke very funny, and I really couldn’t blame her for being in a bad mood. We didn’t even know if the cure would work. If I was a nervous wreck myself, since the thought of losing my only sister scared me to death, I knew she had to be even more on edge.

  “Those little fashionistas hid in the house like a couple of scared mice,” roared Val before she slammed the door, beyond pissed.

  I certainly hoped those girls had found some weapons, because it seemed my sister’s wrath might be more fatal than any brain-devouring zombie.

  Chapter 6

  Nick and I hung outside for a few minutes, and I listened to his monologue while he went over our game plan. I tried to listen as closely as I could, but after a while, I couldn’t help but interrupt his train of thought.

  “Those zombies looked like animated corpses, like something out of a horror movie. It’s just…unbelievable.”

  “I think you’re still high from all that adrenaline. As you can see, it’s not all movie magic getup. It’s the real thing. We’re fighting against the living dead here.”

  I shook my head, trying to comprehend his words. “They’re pretty easy to take down when they come at ya solo.”

  “Like I said, never underestimate them. All it takes is one scratch or bite. We lost Martin from just one tiny prick from one of their nasty nails.”

  I nodded, thinking back to the one guy everyone on our street liked, Martin. We had grown up together and gone to school together, where we’d been trained in combat, since that had become customary. I still couldn’t believe he was gone. “I know,” I said, eager to change the subject before my emotions got the better of me and I slumped into that depressing dump I always sank into when I thought of poor Martin. “That’s why I was freaking out when a zombie bit my boot.”

  Nick’s eyes grew wide. “Why didn’t you tell me?” He knelt down and started examining my scuffed-up boots.

  I pushed him away, a bit rougher than intended. “Hey, I’m fine. He didn’t get through.”

  Nick stood. “You’re pretty lucky. Their teeth can cut right through leather.”

  “Yeah…lucky.”

  His gaze pierced mine. “Don’t ever let a zombie get that close to you ever again.”

  I returned his glare, ready to stand my ground if need be. “It wasn’t like I planned it.”

  “Yeah? Well, that’s what Martin said too,” Nick said dryly.

  We had both been through so much personal loss— friends, comrades, and even Nick’s girlfriend Darla, whom he was forced to shoot. But while I liked to talk about things to unburden my heart from all the fear and guilt over being alive while others were dead, Nick insisted on bottling up his pain, which consequently grew stronger by the day. “I know Martin was your friend as well,” I said slowly. “You’ve been through a lot. I-I’m sorry I called you a monster back at the crash site. I guess I overreacted. I just couldn’t believe you’d want to kill our sister.”

  He hesitated a moment before answering. I could see his emotions on his face, playing out like a film, right before my very eyes. He felt guilty, but at the same time he also felt it was his responsibility to take on the lion’s share of work. “It’s okay. I’ve never claimed there isn’t any blood on my hands. I’m probably everything you said and more, but it’s what I’ve had to do to stay alive and defend the city…to survive.”

  I cocked a brow. “We’re cool then?” I asked, knowing we’d just about reached our limit of sentimental, emotional talk.

  He gave me a fist bump. “Yup, little brother. Cool as ice.”

  As we took a quick walk around the house, I noticed two four-by-four Jeep Wranglers in the back yard. “They’re perfect! I love Jeeps, man. It’s the perfect go-anywhere, do-anything vehicle.”

  “No off-roading, Dean,” Nick said. “We don’t want to give the
zombies an advantage over us. We stay on open, paved roads. Got it?”

  I nodded.

  My brother’s gaze darted toward the house. “The first thing we need to do is see if anyone lives here. We’re all fighting to survive out here, and we have to learn to respect each other, so no stealing. If the owner has abandoned this place or is, uh…gone, then the trucks are up for grabs.”

  On first glance, the house had looked abandoned to me. I felt confident that we’d soon have ourselves a set of wheels as I swung the door open. I knew the place had to be unoccupied because dust was caked on the furniture and mirrors. The fireplace wasn’t stocked with wood and was ice cold to the touch. The living room was spacious and furnished in ugly yellows, antique furniture, oak floors, and cream-colored walls. A mirror hung over two large yellow sofas. I listened to Val going off on the gals and had absolutely no doubt she was my sister— she acted exactly like Nick—and maybe a little like me too.

  Claire ignored Val and kept playing a simple tune on an ebony grand piano sitting in the corner of the room.

  “You’re a natural,” I said.

  She closed the lid of the piano as tears welled up in her eyes. “I know now isn’t the right time to be playing. I just couldn’t help myself. That was the last song my mom and I played before we got separated.”

  “I’m sorry,” I said softly, hoping the words would convey just how much I meant them.

  She walked away, and my gaze drifted over to the spiral staircase that led up to the second-floor balcony, which stretched across the room with a glass railing. I glanced around for Jackie, and found her sitting on the sofa, sipping on a can of Pepsi. My eyes roamed over her perfect body. I knew Val hated her outfit, but it sure showed off her incredible curves and long, pretty legs. I was mesmerized.