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 as 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 damn 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
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 as 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 damn 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
Similar Books
