The Zombie Chronicles - Book 2 (Apocalypse Infection Unleashed Series) Page 6

  Crap! Am I having a break down? Is all the stress of missing my old home and friends taking a toll on me? Or am I just in some do-or-die state of mind, not quite myself? I knew the cure that would save our sister’s life was in Tahoe’s possession, and we had to get out of there and get it for her. That made me even more anxious, and I had an urge to show Nick who was boss around there. We needed to get something done, not hide there like scared little mice.

  As Nick scrambled to his feet from my last knockout blow, I shot him a cocky smile. He came at me, and I bashed him again with a bomb even Mike Tyson would have been proud of. Nick fell backward, down for the count, but I was relentless. I squatted down next to him and banged the palm of my hand on the floor and started counting: “One…two…three…four…

  five…six…seven…eight…nine…ten!” He didn’t get up, so I leapt up, punching the air. “I’m the winner. Now, let’s get out of here and see if those zombies left yet!”

  Nick opened his eyes and stared at me. “Wh-what happened?”

  I pulled him up and patted his back. “You lost, champ,” I said. “Now I give the orders, and I say we’re outta here.”

  Nick rubbed his forehead. “What are you going on about? Did you knock me out?”

  Lucas clapped my shoulder. “That was awesome!”

  Claire reached out her hand and helped Nick up.

  Jackie handed me a white towel, and I wiped the sweat off my face. “You showed your brother who was boss. I like that,” she whispered in my ear.

  I grinned. It was a big moment between me and my brother; my chance to show him that I wasn’t a baby anymore. Our nerves were on edge, but we had more important things to worry about. “Come on,” I said. “We’re leaving.”

  “I know you’re anxious to see if the herd is gone, but I assure you it probably isn’t,” Lucas said. “Listen, I’ll go take a drive and assess the situation. If they’re still there, we’ll have to hole up here for the night.”

  “Okay,” I said. I didn’t like the idea, but we didn’t really have a choice. Sending Lucas out to check was a safer alternative than all of us rushing out into a hungry horde of brain-slurpers.

  Chapter 11

  Since nobody could sleep, we trained some more—only this time, I did some of the teaching. Still, I have to admit that my brother and Lucas showed me and the girls some great moves. The girls wanted to know how to defend themselves, and I knew that was definitely a step in the right direction. While everyone else practiced and sparred, Val slept without making a peep.

  Lucas drove back to the zombie crossing and returned to report that it was still overrun, so we had no choice but to bed down for the night.

  We found sleeping bags piled up in the office and decided to put them to good use. We laid them in the boxing ring to make a bed, then all passed out.

  A while later, moans jolted me awake. Moonlight streamed in through the windows, and I peered around for a zombie, my heart racing. I reached for my gun. Just as I was getting ready to wake everyone, I noticed Jackie tossing and turning in her sleep; that was when I realized that the moaning noises were coming from her. I walked over and softly touched her arm.

  She sat up, gasping. “Wh-what? Dean?” Her long hair tumbled around her face.

  “Sorry to wake you. You were, uh…moaning.”

  “I was having a horrible nightmare.”

  I held my arms out. “Come here, babe.”

  She nuzzled into my shoulder, and I wrapped my arm around her. I held her for a few minutes before she said, “I miss everyone I lost. How can you explain the pain to anyone? I always thought life was a struggle, but out here, it’s about survival. You just survive. You live. You exist. You’re there, but really you’re not. There are no words to describe it.”

  “I know,” I consoled.

  “I know I have to live with the scars, but I wonder if the pain will ever go away. It just hurts so bad, Dean!”

  “Like they say, time heals all wounds.”

  “Yeah, maybe, but bear in mind they said that before the zombie apocalypse.”

  “Right,” I agreed, knowing she had a point.

  “Anyway, how are you doing?” she asked.

  “I’m worried about Val. What if we can’t catch up to Tahoe?”

  “We will. Tahoe is staying in one place for the night. His signal is still, and we’re right behind him,” she said. “I’m sorry if I’m kind of being a drag. I mean, the last few days have been a whirlwind for me,” she said softly, so as not to wake the others.

  “I understand the whirlwind thing,” I said. “I was living a normal life pretty much, and now…well, all of this.”

  “Yeah, me too. Our lives were stable and then—bing, bang, boom!—all of this!” She let out a long sigh. “We have a lot in common, you and me.”

  “That we do.” Cupping her face, I could see every detail in the moonlight. She was absolutely stunning with her petal-smooth skin, long eyelashes, and big, brown eyes.

  She touched my hand that was resting on her face. “In the last three days, I’ve escaped death way too many times. What does that mean?”

  I swept a stray strand of hair out of her eyes. “That you’re destined for something great.”

  She smiled and gazed into my eyes. “You’re so positive. I love that about you, Dean.”

  “Even with all the gloom around us, I choose to be happy every day—or I least try.”

  “You’re amazing.”

  “Takes one to know one,” I said, meaning it. I realized at that very moment how deeply I cared about her.

  Jackie ran a hand through her hair, still contemplating something deeply, but she’d clammed up.

  “You know you can tell me anything, right, Jackie?” I coaxed.

  “Well, it’s just…I can’t understand why Claire and I were the only ones to escape in our group. One second we were laughing and telling jokes, and the next I was fighting for my life. It’s just consuming me—survivor guilt, I think the shrinks call it. They deserved to live just as much as I did. Why did I survive? Is it fair that I lived and they didn’t? Who decides that stuff anyway…and why?”

  “You chose a way out that the others didn’t.”

  “I should have gone back and tried to save them.”

  “If you had, you’d be dead right now,” I said, wiping a tear from her face.

  “Deep down I know that, but it’s still hard to accept the loss. Though time passes and memories fade, I’ll never forget them.”

  “That’s okay. You don’t have to,” I said. “In a way, you remembering them honors them.”

  “Maybe, but still, none of it makes sense. And then we escaped death yet again. If you had left us back at the glass house, we’d be dead. What were the chances we’d run into you?”

  “Fate,” I whispered.

  “And what about the motorcycle and the beach? We barely escaped.”

  “Hey, it’s not every day a guy gets to ride down the alley on a Harley with a hot babe.”

  She playfully slapped me. “C’mon. Be serious.”

  “I’m tired of serious. I’ve almost forgotten what it’s like to laugh.”

  “You have a wonderful laugh. That’s all you did when you drank all that beer at the airport tower. It was…contagious.”

  “The beer or the laughing?”

  She laughed right back at me. “Heh. Both, I guess,” she said, her eyes lighting up with the fond memory.

  I smiled. “We did have a good time, didn’t we?”

  “It was magical. I don’t think I’ve laughed so much in a long time. I wish I could dream about that, but instead I keep dreaming about walking across that board from the house to the barn, except in my nightmare, I fall off and—”

  I squeezed her hand tightly, stopping her from recounting the horror. “I’m here for you, Jackie.”

  “Thanks,” she said, looking down at the floor.

  “What is it?” I asked. “Something else is bothering you.”
<
br />   “It may seem stupid to you, but it kinda freaks me out that I used a gun. My dad would flip. He’s so against guns and all that. It’s all so much to take in. And I swear I keep freaking out every time I hear a noise. I keep thinking a whole herd of those things out there is going to break into the gym, like that scene at the end of Night of the Living Dead, when they started coming in the house.”

  “That’s only normal,” I whispered, “after everything we’ve been through.”

  “My hands keep shaking, and I can’t stop thinking about my family back in New York. Do you think they’re okay? I wonder if they even know I’m alive.”

  “We just have to keep fighting and live another day. Tomorrow isn’t promised. None of this is easy. I don’t know if my parents are alive either, or whether Val will live another day.” My voice wavered as I cupped her face again. “All we can do now, in this moment, is stay strong and lean on each other.”

  “I’m not gonna give up—not ever,” she swore, softly touching my wrist. “How’s that cut healing?”

  “It scabbed over already. I know it’s a little gross, but I think I’ll live.”

  “I’m just glad you escaped from that hole with nothing but that cut,” she said. “When you told us you were stuck down there with zombies, I about freaked.”

  “Me too,” I said, not wanting to recall it. I was desperate to change the subject, tired of talking about the undead. “So…tell me about your grandparents’ farm. You drove that harvester like a champ.”

  She chuckled. “I did, didn’t I? Their farm was wonderful. They had chickens, cows, pigs, and horses, my favorite. I used to ride this black stallion, bareback, through a green meadow covered in wildflowers. I’ll never forget how the wind whipped through my hair.”

  Talking about her childhood memories calmed her down. When she laughed, her face lit up. She was so adorable that I just couldn’t help myself. Without even thinking about it, I pulled her close and kissed her. As she slid her hands up my chest, she grasped me behind the neck. My heart raced. I had never wanted anybody as much as I wanted her. She slid her hands through my hair as I rolled my tongue across her lips. Murmuring my name, she went weak in my arms as we shared a slow, passionate kiss. Sliding my hands down her body, I kissed the soft skin of her neck.

  Then, just like that, she pulled away from me. “As great as this is, we’d better get some sleep. We’ll be on the road in no time.”

  That was my cue: She wasn’t ready to go any farther with me yet—and she was right. It was best not to rush things. I knew it as well as she did, but I couldn’t help getting carried away. I snuggled next to her, and she whispered, “Goodnight,” before we fell asleep in each other’s arms.

  Chapter 12

  Morning came without incident. It was nice to know we could actually stay the night somewhere without the place being ransacked by zombies. Tahoe’s signal remained motionless, so we had to assume he either hadn’t gotten up yet or the zombies had enjoyed a delicious traitor omelet for breakfast.

  I zombie-sat Val while the others made sure it was safe to venture out of the gym where, in spite of the stale smell, we had managed to get a good night’s sleep. Staring across the gym at the punching bags, I squeezed my eyes shut. The possibility of losing Val hurt so much. I looked at her, sleeping soundly, curled up in a ball like a tired kitten. She had been feverish the night before, but her skin had cooled down noticeably, and her heavy gasps for air had slowed into shallow breaths, signaling that the virus was finally giving her a few hours of peace. I looked away as my thoughts consumed me once more. If we don’t get that serum soon, we’re gonna lose her. It wasn’t news or a sudden realization, yet the knowledge still hurt, the emotional turmoil tugged at my heart, making me want to hurl and shout at the top of my lungs. Why did this have to happen to my sister? Why this century? Why our world?

  Jackie came from behind and touched my arm, startling me. She knew the anguish I was going through, for I had shared my thoughts with her the night before. “We’ll get that cure back, no matter what,” she said softly.

  I nodded grimly, wanting to share her optimism. Part of me believed wholeheartedly that we’d save Val, but lingering doubts banged around inside my head. Even if Tahoe managed to escape the frenzied flock of zombies, there was no guarantee that we’d find him easily or in time to save Val. And what if he sees us coming? What if he manages to evade us once more? Val was slowly but steadily turning. If we missed that fragile moment between her life and death, she’d be gone to us forever.

  I nodded as I scooped my sister up and exited through the doors, then gently placed her on the bed we’d set up inside the pick-up truck, where we could see her and act quickly should something change about her condition. Nick had come up with the idea; he said the cool air would do her good and keep her health from worsening, buying us a few more hours. The unspoken reason was for our safety. The sunlight cast a murky green glow over her skin, and her breathing morphed into small, animalistic pants as droplets of sweat rolled down her forehead.

  “Nick,” I said, “she looks horrible.”

  “I know,” he answered grimly.

  He was the suffer-in-silent type, but the worried lines running across his face made what was going on inside more than obvious. His gaze shot over to Jackie and Claire, who were sitting in the bed of the truck next to Val. Claire was wiping off Val’s sweaty face with a damp washcloth, while Jackie held her hand.

  “Claire, Jackie,” Nick said, “I want you to ride up front with Lucas, okay?”

  “But Val needs me,” Claire said.

  Nick cleared his throat. “Dean and I would like to have a private moment with our sister. I hope you understand.”

  Of course it was true, but I knew there was also a hidden meaning behind his words. Val had hung on for as long as she could. Our sister’s turning was inevitable—and close. She was going to change, and he wanted Claire and Jackie safe inside the truck when she did.

  Claire touched Nick’s shoulder. “If you need anything…”

  He nodded but didn’t answer.

  Claire lingered a tad longer, then left with Jackie, and they squeezed inside with Lucas.

  The more I thought about it, the more I was glad it was just the two of us in the back with her. We were her family, and we would be with her to the end, just like family is supposed to. My throat tightened as emotions welled up inside. I just wanted that girl back, the one I’d met the day we’d crashed into that zombie nightmare—that spunky being full of spirit, just like Mom. I didn’t want to lose Val. I couldn’t, and I vowed we wouldn’t. But to keep that commitment, we needed to find Tahoe.

  Lucas stomped on the gas pedal and pulled onto the main road. The warm, gusting wind blew through my hair as the smell of wet grass and rotting cornfields drifted all around us.

  The sun disappeared, and the sky grew dark, signaling an approaching storm while the pickup raced down the deserted highway. I gripped the side tightly as we wobbled over every bump and jolt, always keeping my gaze on Val, trying to be sure she wasn’t too uncomfortable.

  After a little while, she opened her eyes and met my gaze. “Dean,” she whispered between gasping breaths, “tell Mom and Dad I love them and that I never blamed them for giving me away.”

  “I will,” I said, choking back tears.

  “And…and don’t blame yourself for this.”

  My eyes welled up, and I squeezed her hand. Even though we barely knew each other, I felt as though she could peer right into my soul. “I should’ve done more. I’m so sorry, Val.” My voice quivered as emotion rushed through my body.

  “You did everything and more. I couldn’t have asked for better brothers.”

  “Dean’s right. It wasn’t enough,” Nick said.

  “Meeting you and Nick changed my life in the short time I had the chance to know the two of you.” She took another gasping breath. “The lengths you’ve gone through to try and save me have been heroic…admirable.” She grabbed Nick
’s hand, then mine. “You can’t…don’t live in the past, boys.”

  I pushed a strand of hair out of her eyes as she paused.

  “Appreciate your life. Stop complaining about what you don’t have and start living with what you do have.” She coughed, then continued. “If you fall down five times, get up six. Despite the struggles you’re facing, never let go or give up. Always keep hope alive.”

  “Always,” Nick said, holding her hand.

  Lightning streaked across the dark sky just seconds before a loud clap of thunder rumbled overhead.

  “If you can’t save me, at least find the cure and save others.” A trembling cough escaped her throat, and her eyes glazed over for a moment, as though she was losing it again. “It could save millions. Take our world back, help…”

  A tear rolled down my face as she closed her eyes and slipped into unconscious. Her words stayed with me for a long time, and I wondered if I would ever see my sister normal again. Everything hinged on us finding Tahoe.

  The wind whipped through my hair as a blur of scenery passed before me. Val gasped and fought for every breath. Every time I thought she’d taken her last breath, she proved me wrong, making me weirdly proud of her. She was a fighter, and I hoped she’d win the game.

  The girls and I had never witnessed a turning, and I couldn’t imagine a loved one changing into a freak who’d want nothing more than to feast on my brains. The whole thing made me feel nauseous, but it also scared me. I didn’t know if I could ever hurt her, even if I had to.

  Nick sucked in a trembling breath. It was all very hard on him. He always felt the need to play ‘tough guy’, but his emotions were getting the best of him. We both wished we had the cure in our hands. Even if we did possess the precious serum, though, I think he doubted that the doc’s formula would work. He scooped Val up and held her in his arms, then shielded her from the wind with the blanket.

  Freezing rain poured down, but I didn’t care. A deeper pain tore through me at the sight of Val’s sudden ashy color. Her breathing quickened for a second or two and then, ever so slowly, it stopped. My heart thumped harder, and hope filled me that it would be just like before—that she would breathe again. When thirty seconds passed and nothing happened, panic grabbed hold of me.