Break Free The Night (Book 1) (20 page)

             
“
I just came from Ann
a’
s room. It was decided. Quinton and me, we really tried. But your Dad was
n’
t having it. Anna and Bill sided with him eventually and then that was it. Yo
u’
re staying
.
”

              So this was it, really, truly it. Kaylee had thought she believed it long ago, believed that Jack was leaving and she was staying and that years from now this friendly little encounter would be the things good fireside stories were made of.
Do
n’
t you remember that time when Quinton and Jake, oh no it was Jack, was
n’
t it? Well anyway, they showed up and stole some corn and nearly brained Kaylee and taught Emma some cute tricks with a rifle. That was fun, was
n’
t it?
But the way her heart collided with her ribcage, they way her words caught in her chest, the burn of her eyes and in the sting in her throat convinced her that she must have been clinging on to some pathetic shred of something that sorely resembled hope. More than that, want. She wanted him with her, needed him there.

             
But
, she thought bitterly to herself,
tha
t’
s why love is so wonderful, is
n’
t it?

             
“
Kay
?
”

             
“
I understand
,”
she spoke through numb lips. Her head was reeling and she struggled to maintain the thread of the conversation
.“
But I still do
n’
t like it when you avoid me
.”
She was sure, in that moment, that there were better things, prettier and more poetic things that she could have said. But she could
n’
t think straight and it seemed the easiest way to end the exchange.

             
“
Okay
,”
Jack answered, his tone unsure and hesitant
.“
I wo
n’
t then
.
”

             
“
Good
.”
And without another word, Kaylee turned, blew out the stuttering remains of the candle, and stumbled blindly to her room.

~

              However long she was with Jack, however long that seemingly banal and yet life-changing conversation had taken; it was not long enough for Emma. When Kaylee flew through her bedroom door, forgetting to mark her approach, knock,
anything
to let Emma know she was coming, she found her sister twisted up in her sheets, her face wet.

             
“
Sorry, sorry
,”
Kaylee muttered, turning from Emma, her hand on the doorknob. But she could
n’
t seem to make it turn. The cold metal bit into her overheated skin, serving as a harsh reminder of just why she felt so out of sorts. She dropped her hand as though it were seared, leaning forward until her head connected with the wood of the door.

              “
’
S okay
,”
Emma mumbled
.“I’
m asleep
.
”

              Kaylee knew that was no where near true, probably would
n’
t be true for several hours, but she nodded against the door anyway, certain Emma could see her.

             
“
Sorry
,”
she whispered again, knowing her sister would
n’
t answer. Kaylee sighed. There was no talking to Emma when she got like this. Kaylee always found it best to just give her space and, in time, Emma would be fine.

              Not sure I will be though.

              Kaylee wished she could kick her stupid heart for making her go ahead and fall for Jack. It was such a stupid, reckless thing to do.

              It was always supposed to be Andrew.

              Andrew was safe. He loved her. He took care of her. He would stay with her. Here, Alaska, it would
n’
t matter to Andrew. And it would have been so easy! He did love her already. He knew her, inside and out. He saw past her hesitations, her insecurities. He was willing to wait.

              Damn it, Kaylee!

              But again, really, it still did
n’
t matter. Now it was just a matter of knowing she loved Jack, knowing he stirred her in a way she knew Andrew would never be capable of, and of just living with it.

              Remembering. Missing. And ultimately, ignoring.

              She pushed off from the door, keeping her eyes to the floor and avoiding her sister. The way Emma was breathing, the little hitches and pauses, convinced Kaylee that tears were silently sliding down her cheeks. And suddenly, she was exhausted. The buzz of the Coke she had splurged with was waning and her limbs felt heavy and uncoordinated. She did
n’
t even bend to kick off her shoes, just toed them off and into the corner of the room.

              “
’
Night Emma
.
”

              Her bed was cold when she climbed into it, still fully clothed. She was asleep before she remembered the sheets warming.

Chapter Nine

Emma was not in the room when Kaylee awoke though the light filtering through the dusty window was sharp and bright. It was mid-day and the first time that Emma had woken and left the room before her sister.

              Kaylee rolled to her side and groaned at she sat up. Her head was throbbing, a dull pulse of a headache behind her eyes that evidenced her poor nights sleep.

              The
y’
re leaving soon, yo
u’
ll forget. The
y’
re leaving soon. H
e’
s leaving soon.

              But instead of bolstering her mood, her attempt at reassurance had exactly the opposite effect.

              The halls were still, not even Quinton could be seen roaming around. But a scraping sound, metal on metal, echoed up from the first floor. Kaylee could
n’
t place it and a shiver of unease spread through her, making even the tips of her fingers tingle. The odd, out-of-place noise reminded her of the infected in the apartments of the high rise, of bloodied fingernails scratching and scraping.

              A muffled curse sounded from the kitchen and Kayle
e’
s stomach roiled in fear.
Emma
.

              Her feet pounded down the stairs as she made for the kitchen, her sneakers skidding slightly as she came around the corner. It was quiet again, still and empty.

             
“
Emma
?
”

             
“
Out here
,”
came a muffled reply. Kaylee peered out the window and saw Emma perched on the fire escape platform, a wire grill brush in one hand and the fingertips of her other stuffed in her mouth
.“
I cut my finger
,”
she mumbled.

             
“
What are yo
u
—”

             
“
Everyone okay
?”
Jack was tightening his belt as he ran into the kitchen
.“
I heard running
.
”

             
“
That was me, sorry
,”
Kaylee said, gesturing to Emma
.“
She was cursing, I did
n’
t kno
w
—”

             
“
Geez, yo
u’
d think I do no work around here
,”
Emma said, rolling her eyes
.“
The platfor
m’
s dirty. I was up. I cut my finger and swore a bit. You get too worked up, Kaylee
.
”

             
“
Brat! I was worried about you
.”
She did
n’
t need to ad
d‘
especially after last nigh
t’
for Emma to understand.

             
“
Like I said, you get too worked up
.
”

             
“
Just be careful out there
.”
Emma rolled her eyes again in response.

             
“
Well, as long as
I’
m here
,”
Jack said, grinning as he moved to the pantry
.“
Girls, breakfast
?
”

             
“
Why not
?”
Kaylee smiled, internally beating down the butterflies that beat against her stomach.

              Jack seemed to be doing as he promised. At least for now, he had stopped avoiding her. She preferred it that way for as long as she had left. She realized she did
n’
t even know how long that was. Last night she had forgotten to ask.

             
“
Well, since oatmea
l’
s obviously out until Emm
a’
s don
e
—”

             
“
Which wo
n’
t be for a while because she takes forever to clean anything up
.
”

             
“
Hey
!
”

              “
—
how does pineapples sound
?
”

And then there was a sound that wrenched the morning air apart, tore through the silly conversation and unhurried arguments until the whole world stopped with earth-shattering precision.

A bolt snapped.

With the sound of wrenching iron, the fire escape swayed into collapse. Emma had no more time than to muster a confused expression before she was gone, her brunette hair whipping up around her face and the distance she fell muffling her scream.

“
Emma
!”
Kaylee screeched, flying to the window and nearly falling through in her hasty and misguided attempt to catch her sister. By the time she stuck her head through the opening, all she could see of Emma was a cloud of dust. A year
s’
worth of soot and ashes had broken her fall and the stirring body below was covered head to toe in the black, grimy remains.

Kaylee wrenched herself from the sight of her sister and from the sight of the infected turning, grunting, and staggering over to the promise of fresh meat. She ran for the living room, knocking a stunned-looking Jack out of her way. As she tore through the door she could hear him call her name, though whether it was supposed to be a warning, a comfort, or a grunt of frustration she was unsure. Kaylee flew at the fire pole and her body swung as she grabbed hold.

She fell so fast, she might as well have not used the pole at all and her knees jarred as her feet connected with the hard garage floor. But her head ignored the warning her knees sent her brain, the warning to slow and pace herself. And she did
n’
t notice how her breath seared her lungs as she dragged it through, nor how her vision was clouded with tears. She could hear the scrambling against the side of the building, hear bodies crashing together, hear screeches that were becoming more piercing by the second, and she ran for the window that was bolted shut.

Kaylee let out a noise that was a mix between growl and a pathetic, whimpering cry as the bolt slid uselessly beneath her sweaty fingers. But then Jack was there, shoving her to the side and sliding the bolt with a ringing clang before wrenching the metal window covering away and hauling himself through the opening. Kaylee paused long enough to watch him disappear, to take once last searing breath before she flung herself after him.

The daylight seemed brighter from the street than it was from the rooftop, which was wrong because with the tall buildings and trees and the shadows they lent, it should have seemed dimmer. But it did
n’
t, it was brilliant, white and blinding, and Kaylee blinked before her head swiveled toward the stirring pile of ash. A quick look past caused her heart to clench.

A swarm of infected was rushing towards them, the smell or feel or heat, whatever was the indication of a fresh meal, pulling them closer by the second. Kaylee felt her throat close and her muscles freeze but then a very different moan rang in her ears. Emma was crying out. Kaylee saw her lift her head, tear tracks streaking through the grunge on her face, her eyes wide with fear.

Kayle
e’
s muscles unlocked, as though a bolt of electricity had shocked through her and she ran, passing Jack and reaching Emma just as the first of the infected did.

Kaylee pulled Emma to her, lifting her clear out of the ash, a cascade of dirt trailing from her shaking body. But as soon as she stood straight, with a sickening crash, she was thrown to the pavement. Emma landed on top of her, followed by a growling, heaving infected man. His teeth flashed, yellow and broken, sores that were blistered and reddened with blood covered the inside of his mouth and lips. Kaylee gripped Emma tighter, ignoring her cry of pain as she scrambled to free them both from beneath the thrashing man.

A second crash reverberated from above and Kaylee squeezed her eyes shut, clamped her lips tightly, and held her breath as Jack brought an iron pipe down with   nauseating precision. She knew he hit his target as a keening screech sounded, as drops of a hot, wet substance rained over her.

“
Keep your mouths shut
!”
Jack yelled. Kaylee pressed her lips even more firmly as she dragged her sleeve over her eyes, wiping the blood from her face. She could hear Emma whimpering and could only hope she was listening to Jack.

But the pounding of feet on the pavement soon distracted Kaylee from thinking about anything else and she blinked her eyes open.

“
Hurry
!”
Jack screamed
.“
Get up, the
y’
re coming fast
!
”

Another clunk let Kaylee know that Jack had found a second target and she turned her face from the sound as she hauled Emma to her feet.

“
Emma, le
t’
s go
!”
Kaylee screamed, tugging on her sister. Emma resisted, her sobs nearly drowning out Jac
k’
s yelling.

“
Go! Go! What are you waiting for
?
”

Kaylee grabbed Emma around the waist and lift her, dragging her closer to the window. She turned to see Andrew and her father with their heads sticking from the window, eyes wild and frantically beckoning them closer. Emma was thrashing, shaking her head and sobbing and Kaylee felt her own tears fall, running through the drying streaks of infected blood that had stained her face.

She turned to check on Jack as the window loomed closer. He was swinging full force at a group of swarming infected, catching a woman in the chin. Kaylee watched as a spray of blood painted the brick side of the fire station, two teeth flying from her broken jaw.

“
Jack! Come on
!”
Kaylee called, fear seizing in her chest at the size of the swelling group running towards him. He spared her a quick look before swinging one last time, hitting a large man upside the head, his rotting skull crushing under the blow.

“
Kay, lift her up
!”
came her fathe
r’
s urgent call and she looked up to find herself directly below the window. As she strained to push Emma towards them, her arms shaking with the effort, Emma thrashed and screamed.

But then Jack was there, helping Kaylee to push Emma up and her father grasped her siste
r’
s arm and Andrew heaved her through. Jack had grabbed Kaylee by the waist, preparing to hoist her up and Kaylee gripped the ledge, ready to pull herself into safety.

And then she froze. Her muscles locked into place, her breath caught in her chest, and her vision went hazy. The worst and most horrifying sound to reach her ears that morning sounded from inside their safe haven.

“
Stop! Put me back,
I’
m bit!
I’
m bit
.
”

Emma was sobbing loudly, begging Andrew and her father to chuck her back out, struggling to get past them, back into the throng of infected.

Because Emma is infected.

Kaylee felt the air in her body stop moving, not leave precisely, just stop. Her chest felt blocked, the breath stuck there became stale and stagnant and still she could force no movement.