admitted. “We could give ourselves a few days to prepare and come up with a solid plan. But I don’t want to delay this any longer than we have to. We might get too comfortable here.”
Justin’s gaze traveled over to the door. “Why haven’t you strengthened your barricade yet?” he asked Patrick.
The older man sighed heavily and pinched the bridge of his nose. “For Pete’s sake, Justin! I said I’d take care of it. Stop nagging at me, okay?”
“I won’t mention it again,” Justin said dryly. He turned his attention to Daniel. “What do you think? Will you be ready in a few days’ time?”
Daniel nodded solemnly. “Yes, I think so. I hope it will be easier than facing a Runner outside.”
“I’m positive it will be,” Garrett said with conviction. “At most, we’ll probably encounter three or four Runners in the hallway and on the stairs. Daniel and I will be in front, leading the way.” His gaze landed on Justin, Amy, and Patrick. “I want the three of you to watch the back in case there’s a stray Runner coming after us. Ms. Wentworth, Benson, and Marie will be in the middle.”
“Where did you park your campervan?” Patrick asked, his eyes darting around nervously. “I mean, is it close to the basement stairs?”
Garrett scratched his head. “To be honest, I’m not sure.” He paused for a second, then added humorously, “But more importantly, let’s hope no one has trashed or stolen it.”
They moved the discussion to extra weapons and protective gear.
“Judging by the fact that I wasn’t infected even though I got Runner’s blood on my exposed neck, I think it’s safe to say that infection doesn’t spread through skin contact,” Amy said. She glanced at Justin. “You had some Runner’s blood on your face as well.”
Daniel smiled. “This is good to know. I did not feel safe with the plastic wrap anyway, and it was very uncomfortable.”
“What about weapons?” Marie asked. She stared at Benson, who was sitting on the floor and playing with Walter. “We don’t have enough.”
“Anything can be a weapon,” Garrett replied. “We could attach long screw drivers to the ends of broomsticks, make a flamethrower using hairspray and a lighter – although you might want to be careful with that one – or even use a good old ax if we have it. Just need to use a bit of imagination, that’s all.”
Benson’s eyes lit up at the word imagination . “Hey! Maybe we could also cut up cardboard boxes and put them around our bodies. That can be our protective gear.” He smiled up at Marie. “Can you make me a cardboard armor?”
Marie smiled and ruffled his soft hair. “I will try.”
“That’s the most ludicrous thing I’ve heard all day,” Patrick said, snorting. “As if cardboard could protect us from cannibalistic crazies! We need to think of something that has more endurance.”
“Like what?” Amy asked. She couldn’t help the sneer forming on her lips. “Chainmail? Leather? A copper breastplate?”
Patrick nodded. “Yes, something like that! Now that’s real protection.”
“Where would we even find them?” Daniel asked, his expression dubious. “At a museum?”
Garrett made an impatient noise. “This is a waste of time. Unless you have medieval chainmail tucked away in your closet, Patrick, I suggest we use what we have to protect ourselves. I vote for Benson’s cardboard armor.” He grinned at the boy, who grinned back. “It’s far from perfect, but at least it’ll give us a few precious seconds of protection. Better than nothing at all, I’d say.”
The discussion was over. Amy felt a lump growing in her throat. They were actually going to do it. They were leaving the city to go to a safe place.
Garrett yawned loudly and padded over to the kitchen. He paused, then reached for a pamphlet lying on the kitchen counter and doodled something on the back. He pocketed it and then tucked his empty thermos flask under his arm.
“I’m
Justin’s gaze traveled over to the door. “Why haven’t you strengthened your barricade yet?” he asked Patrick.
The older man sighed heavily and pinched the bridge of his nose. “For Pete’s sake, Justin! I said I’d take care of it. Stop nagging at me, okay?”
“I won’t mention it again,” Justin said dryly. He turned his attention to Daniel. “What do you think? Will you be ready in a few days’ time?”
Daniel nodded solemnly. “Yes, I think so. I hope it will be easier than facing a Runner outside.”
“I’m positive it will be,” Garrett said with conviction. “At most, we’ll probably encounter three or four Runners in the hallway and on the stairs. Daniel and I will be in front, leading the way.” His gaze landed on Justin, Amy, and Patrick. “I want the three of you to watch the back in case there’s a stray Runner coming after us. Ms. Wentworth, Benson, and Marie will be in the middle.”
“Where did you park your campervan?” Patrick asked, his eyes darting around nervously. “I mean, is it close to the basement stairs?”
Garrett scratched his head. “To be honest, I’m not sure.” He paused for a second, then added humorously, “But more importantly, let’s hope no one has trashed or stolen it.”
They moved the discussion to extra weapons and protective gear.
“Judging by the fact that I wasn’t infected even though I got Runner’s blood on my exposed neck, I think it’s safe to say that infection doesn’t spread through skin contact,” Amy said. She glanced at Justin. “You had some Runner’s blood on your face as well.”
Daniel smiled. “This is good to know. I did not feel safe with the plastic wrap anyway, and it was very uncomfortable.”
“What about weapons?” Marie asked. She stared at Benson, who was sitting on the floor and playing with Walter. “We don’t have enough.”
“Anything can be a weapon,” Garrett replied. “We could attach long screw drivers to the ends of broomsticks, make a flamethrower using hairspray and a lighter – although you might want to be careful with that one – or even use a good old ax if we have it. Just need to use a bit of imagination, that’s all.”
Benson’s eyes lit up at the word imagination . “Hey! Maybe we could also cut up cardboard boxes and put them around our bodies. That can be our protective gear.” He smiled up at Marie. “Can you make me a cardboard armor?”
Marie smiled and ruffled his soft hair. “I will try.”
“That’s the most ludicrous thing I’ve heard all day,” Patrick said, snorting. “As if cardboard could protect us from cannibalistic crazies! We need to think of something that has more endurance.”
“Like what?” Amy asked. She couldn’t help the sneer forming on her lips. “Chainmail? Leather? A copper breastplate?”
Patrick nodded. “Yes, something like that! Now that’s real protection.”
“Where would we even find them?” Daniel asked, his expression dubious. “At a museum?”
Garrett made an impatient noise. “This is a waste of time. Unless you have medieval chainmail tucked away in your closet, Patrick, I suggest we use what we have to protect ourselves. I vote for Benson’s cardboard armor.” He grinned at the boy, who grinned back. “It’s far from perfect, but at least it’ll give us a few precious seconds of protection. Better than nothing at all, I’d say.”
The discussion was over. Amy felt a lump growing in her throat. They were actually going to do it. They were leaving the city to go to a safe place.
Garrett yawned loudly and padded over to the kitchen. He paused, then reached for a pamphlet lying on the kitchen counter and doodled something on the back. He pocketed it and then tucked his empty thermos flask under his arm.
“I’m
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