Surviving The Zombie Apocalypse (Book 3): Salvation by Joshua Jared Scott Page A

up past normal range.”
    “Not
you,” corrected Briana. “Marcus can go, if he wants.”
    “I’m in
charge of security, and this is a security matter,” she protested.
    “That’s
stretching things,” commented Steph. “I think you just want out of the Black
Hills for a while. Still mad at Jacob for leaving you behind?”
    “I might
be…” Lizzy looked at Asher a second time. “Unfair having the dirty diaper
factory in the room.”
    “This is
our living room,” said Briana. “It’s his house. Sides, it’s have Asher here to
keep you in line or get a swear jar, and since we aren’t using money for
anything that wouldn’t work. Anyway, no worrying. I’m sure Jacob is going to
take you when he goes off to fight for real.” She grimaced. It was not a topic
Briana cared for.
    “He
better, and Mary needs to stay home this time.”
    “I
agree, but Lizzy, you know that’s not likely to happen. She was fighting at
fourteen. Think Jacob will refuse now that she’s sixteen?”
    “Girl
can handle a gun as good as anyone,” added Marcus. “She knows what she’s
doing.”
    “That’s
not the point!”
    “Mommy,
why is Aunt Lizzy mad?”
    “Well,
Asher…” Briana picked him up and deposited the child in Lizzy’s large lap.
“…she gets cranky because your sister gets to have more fun than she does.
That’s why her face is turning purple, just like a plum.”
    “When’s
Mary coming home?” he asked, addressing his honorary aunt. “What’s a plum?”
    “Not
soon enough,” growled Lizzy. She gave him a kiss and plopped him back on the
floor. “Plums are fruit, like apples. Now, go find a marker and draw all over
Marcus’s boots.”
    “What I
do? Asher, get back here. She was just kidding. No scribbling on my shoes.”
    The
boy’s shoulders slumped. He loved drawing on things.
    “You’re
not going to be stuck here chopping down trees and stacking rocks. You get to
have some fun. It’s not fair, and don’t you dare say life rarely is.”
    “Speaking
of trees,” began Briana, “we need a whole bunch more. The newcomers might spend
the entire summer with us, and I see no reason to keep them doubled up like
they are now. We should go ahead and build some more cabins, and we can always
use them for other things later.”
    “The
area’s getting tapped out,” said Steph. “We cherry picked the best ones already,
and if we keep at it, there won’t be enough left. Remember that rockslide back
in March? We keep cutting for building or firewood, and that sort of thing is
going to happen more often.”
    “I can
go out with some flatbed trailers and get them elsewhere,” suggested Lizzy.
    “I
suppose that would be best,” agreed Briana, thinking on it. “Marcus, you going
up with Ronnie or would you rather help Lizzy with the lumber?”
    “I’ll go
with the sour puss.”
    “I am
not…” Lizzy trailed off and took a deep breath.
    “Ronnie
can get someone else to spot for him,” he finished. “I don’t like the idea of
flying over so many biters.”
    “Get to
it then.” Briana waited for the pair leave before turning to Steph. “What’s up
with Lizzy? She was way more restrained than normal. I didn’t even have to yell
at her for swearing.”
    The
redhead snagged one of the lollipops for herself. “No idea. Because Asher is so
cute and easily corruptible?”
    “Maybe.
But I’ve seen her that way when the munchkin isn’t around too.” Briana moved
the jar to the side, preventing our son from getting a second treat.
    “I want
one,” he announced, in his most demanding tone.
    Bad
enough he couldn’t draw on Marcus’s shoes. Asher was not going to be denied a
second time.
    “No more
until after dinner, and if you throw a tantrum you’re going right to bed.”
    “Want
one! Want one now!”
    “Aren’t
you being fussy all of a sudden,” said Steph. “Want me to take him for a bit?”
    “No.”
Briana picked Asher up and headed for his bedroom. “He’s been told.