Hamsikker 2 (20 page)

“Oh my God, are you okay? We tried to turn back for you, but the streets were too thick with them.” Quinn jumped out of the van, leaving the engine running. “We had to circle around the whole damn town.” She opened the van’s side door and helped Mrs. Danick inside.

Dakota and Pippa jumped out of the van, too, and ran up to their respective husbands.

Jonas saw Pippa embrace both Erik and Freya. They were a true family, united by not just grief for Peter, but a love that he barely knew. He loved Dakota more than anything, but it felt sometimes as if something was missing. Maybe the baby would change all that and bring them closer.

Dakota held him tightly. “I was so worried. Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. It was getting hairy back there, but we got through it together.”

“Jonas, where’s Terry?” Quinn watched as Erik, Pippa and Freya clambered into the back of the van, and only then did she realize they were one short.

Jonas simply shook his head.

“Oh honey.” Dakota held him tight again. “When will it end? I want to get to Janey’s too. I just want to get somewhere safe,” she said.

“I know.” Jonas whispered and held Dakota close. He could hear the dead coming, smell them, but he wanted that moment to last. He never wanted to let her go. She was his everything. Despite their bickering and their differences, she had always stuck by him.

“I’ll give him kudos for one thing, he put up a good fight,” said Javier as he ushered Rose into the passenger seat.

“What’s that?” asked Quinn.

“Oh, I was just talking about Terry. Those two zombies made short work of him. Probably still chowing down on his bony ass right now, but he put up a good fight. I watched him, but I wasn’t about to waste a bullet on him.”

Quinn looked at Gabe with her mouth open. She was about to tell him to get in the back, when she stopped. It almost sounded like he was proud of it, proud that he had seen Terry die.

“What?” Jonas told Dakota to get in the van. “Gabe, I don’t think we need to hear this. Terry was a good man. He’s been with us a long time, so show the man a little respect, will you?”

Javier began to walk around to the driver’s seat.

“Hey, what do you think you’re doing?” Quinn followed him. “I’m driving. I’m perfectly capable. Get in the back.”

“I’m driving from now on. In fact, I’m doing the driving, the decision-making, and whatever else needs to be done from here on in. So
you
get in the back. You’re not Rosa Parks, so hush down, and sit in the back like a good little woman.”

“Hamsikker, are you hearing this?” Quinn was furious, and she looked at Jonas for support.

Jonas could see the dead coming now. They had discovered that their prey had given them the slip, but the noise of the engine had brought them right back. He walked up to Gabe who was standing beside the open driver’s door.

“Gabe, you started pulling this shit back there, but it’s time to stop. Quinn is a better driver than any of us. I don’t know what goes through your head sometimes. Come on, just get in back, and…”

“Please.”

“Say what?” Jonas could see that Gabe was enjoying this. It was as if he wanted to fight. Jonas held his axe down by his leg, making sure he kept it there. If he got riled up he was liable to take off Gabe’s head.

“Please. It was the last thing Terry said before I let him die. He pleaded with me for help, but really, why would I waste my time saving an old man?” Javier took a step toward Hamsikker so they were almost nose-to-nose. Their eyes were locked together, and Javier could smell the stale sweat on Hamsikker.

“Gabe, this isn’t going to work out. I’ve tried, we all have, and I really hoped we could make a go of it. When I think back to Saint Paul’s and how you helped me, well, we’re forever in your debt for that. But maybe it would be best for us to go our different ways. You and Mara seem to be coping well enough on your own, and I’m not sure hanging out with us is the best option for you right now.” Jonas thought it was worth a shot. Maybe Gabe would reason with diplomacy, see that there was no need for all this animosity.

Javier laughed. He couldn’t help it. It sounded like Jonas was dumping his high-school sweetheart. “I’m sorry, go on.”

“It’s just that we all have our own issues to deal with, and it feels like we’re not on the same wavelength, you know? I think we should make a break now. We’ll split up what we have. I’m not looking at taking anything that isn’t ours. I’m sure you probably feel the same way, right?”

Javier rubbed his eyes and began laughing again. He exhaled slowly, trying to get himself under control. “Sorry, honestly, I didn’t mean to…”

Jonas had expected a reaction from Gabe, but not laughter.

“You see, I can see your lips moving, and you stand there looking all forlorn as if you just accidentally drove over a little puppy, but the fact of the matter is all I hear is shit pouring out of your mouth.” Javier regained his composure. “You still don’t get it, do you? You’re trying to be all sympathetic, but you don’t have to play nice anymore, Hamsikker. Those days are gone. You know what you should’ve done? Hm?”

Jonas was taken aback. Gabe wasn’t laughing anymore. Suddenly he seemed very confident and not at all surprised at Jonas’s suggestion that they split up. “What’s that?”

“You should’ve killed me. You should’ve fucked my girl, killed me, and taken my gun when you had the chance. Then you and your little gang would’ve been fine.”

Jonas sensed the heat rising through his cheeks. He felt like he was being scolded. His father used to berate him like that all the time, always telling him what he should do, what he shouldn’t do, what he should’ve done. At least he only used words. Janey suffered far worse. “Listen, Gabe, before you say something you regret, why don’t you and Mara just leave. We’ll manage from here. No harm, no foul, right?”

“Did I ever tell you about my dog, Tucker?” asked Javier. “He was a stray, but I tamed him, made him my own. I taught him everything I could about living on the street.”

It seemed to Jonas that Gabe was trying to wind them up. Why else would he behaving like this? Maybe the hotel had gotten to him. Maybe he was just scared, and this was all an act. It was self-defense.

“I’m sure it’s a very sweet story, but I’m really not interested.” Jonas was aware that the dead were getting closer. He could see in the mirror behind Gabe that they were advancing menacingly. Some were almost close enough to see the whites of their eyes.

Javier smiled and slapped Jonas on the back. “Sure thing, buddy. I guess I can fill you in on what happened to Tucker later. Why don’t you hop in back with Quinn?”

Jonas watched as Javier slid in behind the wheel, tucking the Pulaski beneath the driver’s seat. Jonas walked back around to Quinn. Her face was a mixture of shock and fury.

“Just what the fuck is he doing? Hamsikker, I don’t like this. What was he saying about Terry? Is he for real?”

“I know, I know. I think he’s lost it. Just get in will you? Let’s go along with it for now. I don’t know what’s eating him, but we can’t afford to hang around here discussing it any longer. Those things are getting way too close for comfort. If he wants to drive, just let him. When we’re clear of town, we’ll reassess.”

“Hurry up, Hamsikker. I’m not waiting all day.”

Jonas heard Gabe’s order and bristled. The man had truly lost it. Jonas helped Quinn in and jumped in alongside her. The van backed up to the street as Javier prepared to turn them around. The way ahead was blocked, and they were going to have to retreat from Utica the way they had come in.

“Runners. Step on it, Gabe.” Annoyed as he was, he didn’t feel like being eaten alive, and Hamsikker saw three runners break away from the pack. They were running straight for the van.

As the van pulled away, Jonas heard the same voice he had heard earlier, only this time much louder.

“Stop. Wait. Please!”

The voice was female and sounded desperate. The words came out in between harsh breaths, and Hamsikker thought he was imagining it. Everyone was inside the van, so who was it? He leant out of the still open side door, and looked back at the hotel. He saw a young woman come running out from the café next door. Long dark hair flew behind her as she ran, her face pale, and her eyes red.

“Gabe, stop the van,” yelled Jonas. The woman had emerged from the café and was sprinting after them. As she got closer, Jonas saw her face. She was so young, no more than fifteen or sixteen, that he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. How long had she been in there, hiding away from the world?

The van began to speed up, and the girl cried for help, realizing they were going to leave her behind.

“Gabe, for fuck’s sake, slow down. We can help her,” said Erik. He was powerless to intervene, sandwiched into the back of the van beside his wife and daughter, but even he could see they had the time to stop and pick the girl up.

“Slow down, you idiot.” Mrs. Danick reached forward and tapped Gabe on the shoulder. “Can’t you see what’s going on?”

They began to slow, and Jonas reached out a hand. He leant out of the van as far as he could, with his other hand gripping a seatbelt so he didn’t fall.

“Run!” shouted Jonas. “We’ll help you, but you’ve got to hurry!”

Behind the girl were three runners, and they were closing in on her. The girl was crying now, tears pouring down her face, but Jonas could see she was going to make it. She was getting closer, and he urged her on. He smiled, trying to reassure her that she would make it. He held out his hand.

“Don’t look back. Just run. Come on, you can do it.”

The girl reached him, and her hand briefly touched his. Her skin was cold and clammy despite the heat. Jonas could see she was in pain. The running had sapped her energy, and who knew how long she had gone without a decent meal. She must’ve been locked away in that café for months, living on whatever she could scrape together.

“That’s it. I’ve got you.” Jonas leant out and grabbed the girl’s hand. Her dark hair stuck to her face that was covered in sweat. The burning sun had all but drained every last ounce of her energy, and Jonas urged her on. Just one final push, and he could get her in. The runners were close now, right on their tail, and he could see them snapping at the girl’s heels, their arms trying to grab her.

“Jump!”

Jonas grabbed the girl’s arm as she leapt into the van. At that precise moment, Javier put his foot on the accelerator. He had been watching them in the mirror, keeping a close eye on how the girl was getting on. Jonas was doing all he could, but it would never be enough. Javier stepped on the gas, and just as the girl put a foot inside the van, it lurched forward sending her tumbling backwards.

“
NO!
”

Jonas tried to grab her, and he snatched at thin air as she was pulled out of his grasp. He was agonizingly close to reaching her, and his fingers brushed her hand once more as she desperately tried to reach for him, but all he could do was watch her fall away from him.

Jonas knew that the terror in that girl’s eyes would fill his nightmares for as long as he lived. Her face, so young, was etched with a fear he had often thought of, yet never experienced as fully as her. They both knew this was it for her. There would be no second chance. She was going to die now, and Jonas could do nothing to stop it. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. The engine roared louder, and he heard himself shouting for Gabe to stop, but he knew the van was not going to stop or slow down. Jonas didn’t need to look at Gabe to know this was no accident. He had sped up on purpose.

The girl landed on her back on the road, and her body bounced once. Her head was thrown back onto the tarmac, and Jonas was quite sure he heard her skull crack open. He caught one last glimpse of her eyes. They were bloodshot, and instead of terror or anger, there was confusion and sadness. She held up one arm, and the other hung limply at her side, broken in two places.

“I’m sorry,” whispered Jonas.

Then they were on her.

The runners were first. Four zombies grabbed the girl, and began to feed, biting her all over. Two held her arms while the third ravaged her neck. The other dug its fingers into her eye sockets and pulled her head back. The girl’s body jerked as the zombie began to rip her face from her skull, tearing the skin like rice paper, and Jonas heard a faint scream, but it soon ended. The horde of zombies engulfed her, drowning out her cries, and quickly he could see nothing of her at all. Jonas knew she would suffer. However long it took for her to die, he knew that every second would be filled with terror and agony. She had been so close. He had her in his hands, and then she had been taken away from him.

Gabe
.

Jonas drew the side door closed. The van was quiet. Pippa was crying, and the horror of what had just happened settled over everyone. They had let her die. They had driven off and left a young girl to die horribly.

That bastard Gabe
.

Jonas was more than angry. Any apology would be pointless. He wanted answers. Gabe had let her die, and he wanted to know why. Jonas’s fingers curled around his axe. He should’ve taken the sadistic fucker’s head off when he had the chance. Gabe probably had let Terry die, just as he’d said. Who was he? Who was this psycho? If he could do that to Terry, to a young girl, what was he capable of really? Were any of them safe?