Released by Megan Duncan Page A

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    “Taya, you keep pressure on this. Max and I are going to pack up the Bronco and we are going. Don’t let her sit up,” Carter ordered.
    Taya nodded and I saw the guys quickly moving about the cabin, jumping over or kicking out of the way any demon bodies they walked past.
    “You did good.” I told Taya again and she looked at me, a smal smile forming on her quivering lips.
    “I didn’t know if I could do it, but I had to. I wasn’t able to help my mom…” tears started to trickle down her cheeks with more urgency, “I was afraid of what might happen, that I would be left in that bathroom alone.”
    “You were brave Taya. I don’t know if we would have made it without you.”
    I squeezed her hand and she squeezed back. We sat in silence then, while the guys finished loading up the Bronco.
    “Ok, Abs. Time to go,” Max said as he lifted me up and headed for the door.

    I looked back over his shoulder as we walked out and tried to count the number of demons that lay lifeless on the cabin floor. I got to seventeen before he was walking down the steps and I squeezed my eyes shut not wanting to see their ugly bodies any longer.
    Carter had backed the Bronco right up to the cabin and we al quickly got in before he went speeding out of the camp.
    The sky was starting to turn a pretty orange. It was morning. Max laid my head onto his lap as I fel into a deep sleep. After a night like that I would have expected to have a nightmare, but I had the most pleasant dream. Max and I were at my favorite amusement park, Silverwood. Carter and Taya were there too and we were al heading to get in line for Tremors. It was a classic wood coaster and one of the scariest rides I had ever been on, but being at that amusement park were some of my happiest memories of my childhood.
    When I woke up, panic instantly coursed through me. I was in the Bronco alone, and we were stopped on the side of the road. Just as I felt my heart begin to pound I saw a familiar face and my fear melted away.
    “Hey, sleepy head!” Max said.
    I saw him leaning against a guard rail, eating a can of pork and beans. “You hungry?” he asked, offering me the can.
    “No thanks,” I said as I crawled out of the Bronco. Pork and beans looked to be one of Max’s favorite post demon apocalypse meals, but I just couldn’t stomach the stuff.
    Plus my whole body was sore, especialy my shoulder and I just wasn’t in the mood for food even thought I could feel my stomach rumbling.
    “Where are we?” I asked.
    “Just outside of Utah. How are you feeling?” Max walked over to inspect my bandages. “Looks like these need changing.” I closed my eyes as Max peeled away the bandage. I always thought it was easier to bear when I wasn’t looking.
    “Wel it’s looking better. I think I did a pretty good job, what do you think?”
    I hesitated for a moment and then looked down at my shoulder and saw my wound. I had to admit he did do a good job. It looked clean and he had a row of butterfly bandages to hold it together nicely. It wasn’t as scary looking as I had expected it to be.
    “Looks good. Thanks Max.”
    He smiled and started to smear antibiotic on it before adding fresh gauze. I watched him as he worked. His brow furrowed as he concentrated, taking extra care to cause me the least amount of pain as possible.
    When he was done he looked up and caught me staring at him. “Geez, Abs. You realy scared the hel out of me and everyone for that matter,” he said letting out a breath.
    “Sorry,” I looked away and puled the sleeve of my shirt back on.
    “No, no. Don’t look away. Don’t ever look away.”
    He grabbed my face and suddenly kissed me hard. His warms lips sent shivers down my spine as my mind whirled with shock, confusion and then pleasure. We explored each other as he held me close to his body and I felt myself give in to him.
    “Oh my gosh! I’m sorry.” Max and I both turned just in time to see the back of Taya retreating