Running Wild (3 page)

The little girl’s face suddenly turned white and she began to shriek so loud, I thought my eardrums were going to burst.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, trying to reach her hand.

She pointed to my side window and when I turned, I screamed at the horror just inches from my face. A tall zombie with maggots crawling from open sores all over his mottled face was staring hungrily at me. One eye had been ripped out and his dark black hair hung below his shoulders with large tufts missing from its rotting skull.

“Fuck!” I shouted and then cringed. I turned to the little girl and smiled sheepishly. “Um, sorry; that’s a naughty word, don’t ever repeat it.”

To my surprise, she smiled.

The zombie began to make demonic growling sounds outside of my window again. Before I could react, he’d found the door handle and was jiggling it as if attempting to get in. When the door actually began to open, I gasped in shock then jerked it back hard.

The zombie shrieked in anger and tried again, this time without success because I’d locked it this time.

I stared at him and shivers ran down my spine; these zombies were intelligent enough to open doors now?

“No!!!” cried the little girl. She was pounding on the inside of her door and scratching at the windows, trying to escape.

“Hey, it’s okay honey, the doors are locked. You’re totally safe in here,” I said, trying to calm her down. “The guys will be back and they’ll shoot this thing. They have big scary guns.”

She must have understood what I was trying to say because just like that, she quit crying and stuck her thumb back into her mouth.

“Good girl,” I said smiling.

Then the frustrated zombie started throwing a tantrum. He began pounding on the windows, growling and shrieking, wrecking what little progress I’d made with the terrified girl. When she opened her mouth and began to sob hysterically again, I completely lost it. I unlocked the door and slammed it hard against the salivating zombie who in turn lost his balance and toppled to the ground. I hopped out of the truck, raised my foot and kicked him hard in the head with my mountain boot. When he lifted himself back up to try and reach me, he met with a hard swivel kick, which sent him flying backwards.

“You couldn’t just leave well enough alone could you?” I snarled down at the stunned zombie. “You just had to freak the poor child out all over again. Well, dumb ass, you asked for this!”

I kicked him several times in the head as hard as I could while he tried desperately to grab my leg. This went on for several seconds, me kicking him in the head and him asking for more. When he finally stopped moving, I came to my senses and my stomach rolled with nausea; the zombie’s face was one big smear of gore.

Someone cleared their throat and I turned around.

“Honey?” asked my dad who’d pulled up in a brand new Yukon during my tantrum. He tilted his head and smiled wryly. “Is it you’re special time of the month?”

“Ha, ha; you’re next old man,” I said with a sneer. He was always giving my mom; my sister and I crap about our moods during a certain time of the month. Yes, he walked a very fine line in a household of three women.

“Wow,” said Bryce who suddenly appeared driving some kind of souped up conversion van with tall meaty tires. “I guess we know who won the battle. Good going Wild!”

I looked at the carnage I’d caused again and sighed. “Hate to say this, but these zombies are learning some new tricks.”

“What do you mean?” asked my dad.

“This one was able to open the door to the truck,” I said.

“Shit,” said my dad, rubbing a hand over his face. “Next they’ll be learning to pick locks.”

“Hey, get back in the truck!” yelled Bryce. “There’s more heading this way!”

I turned and saw about ten zombies rushing through the lot of new cars and they were coming straight for us. I scrambled back to the Sierra, got inside and locked the door. As they drew closer my dad and Bryce shot them all in the head.

“Brooke,” whispered a tiny voice in the back seat. “I’m Brooke.”

I turned around and found the little girl smiling shyly at me. I returned her smile and then started the engine. “Very nice to meet you, Brooke. Let’s go meet your new family.”

Chapter Four

When we arrived back at my house, I washed the bloody mess still left on my boot with the yard hose then carried Brooke, who’d fallen back asleep, inside. It was getting dark and I was glad to see Austin and Eva had lit more candles throughout the house.

Goldie began barking happily as soon as she saw us and then tried to jump on my legs to get a better look at Brooke.

“Not now girl,” I murmured, trying not to trip over the excited dog.

I laid Brooke down on one of the cots my mom had used for the daycare and covered her with a light blanket. She was still filthy but I figured she needed the rest more than a bath at the present moment.

“Hey, where’d you find the little one?” asked Austin, coming up behind me.

I turned to find him standing very close so I took a step back. “Zombies where chasing her near the movie theater. We almost shot
her
, thinking she was one of them.”

He kneeled down and touched her hair. “Wow, I’m surprised she’s alive,” he said softly.

I nodded. “You and me both.”

Austin stood up and smiled at me. His shirt was open and it looked like he’d changed the dressing on his wound. I tried not gawk at his chiseled pecks but they were hard to ignore.

I swallowed. “Um, so how’s your shoulder?”

He lifted his arm and winced. “It’s...healing. It’d feel much better if I had something more for the pain other than aspirin.”

I frowned. “Didn’t they give you anything at the hospital that was stronger?”

“Hell no they didn’t. But come to think about it, one of the other soldiers in my troop had some Vicodin stored in his duffel bag.” He rubbed his chin and stared off into space. “You know, I’ll bet it still there too.”

“Where’s his bag?” I asked.

“We’d left all of our military vehicles about three blocks west of here,” he replied.

I touched his arm. “Hey, maybe Bryce can drive you back there and you can pick it up.”

His face hardened. “The hell if I’m asking that guy for anything; he’s got something against me.”

“No, he doesn’t,” I lied.

He smirked and shook his head. “Wild, you’re not a very good liar.”

I studied Austin; with his blond hair, thick lashes, and wide “aw shucks” grin, he reminded me of an All-American Cowboy; a pretty handsome one at that. I figured Bryce felt a little threatened, which was ridiculous; my heart already belonged to him.

“He’s just being protective. Bryce has this insane idea that you’re sweet on me,” I said, rolling my eyes. “I told him to quit being such a dope; that you’re just trying to help.”

A slow smile spread across his face and his light brown eyes burned into mine. “Tell you the truth that very same thought crossed my mind as well.”

I wasn’t sure if he was talking about Bryce or being sweet on me so I looked away and quickly changed the subject to food. “Did you hear that? I think that was my stomach. I don’t know about you, but I’m starving,” I said patting my tummy.

He shook his head and chuckled. “I’m fine,” he said then followed me into the kitchen.

I opened up one of the cupboards and located some dill pickle potato chips. Setting the bag on the counter, I began washing my hands. “Want some?” I asked, glancing his way.

He leaned back against the opposite counter and winked. “Don’t let me come between you and your dill pickles.”

I laughed out loud. “She told you, didn’t she?” My mother must have mentioned that I was a dill pickle fanatic. I could eat them in my sleep. In fact, many nights I’d gotten up to have one for a late night snack.

He nodded and pointed to the towel I was drying my hands with. “She also told me about your little germ phobia. She actually thought it was cute.”

“Cute?” I said, smiling sadly. My mother found humor in almost everything. It made her that much more lovable. I missed her
so
much.

“Yes. She wanted to keep me awake during the ride to the hospital so she kept rambling on about anything she could think of. You’re mom’s a special lady. I admire her tremendously.”

I looked away so he wouldn’t see the tears gathering in my eyes. I knew my mom was safe now and that it was my little sister who was in real danger, but it didn’t soothe the ache in my heart. I loved them both so much and couldn’t wait to get to Atlanta.

He cleared his throat. “So, besides finding the little girl, how was your trip to the dealership?”

I told him about my episode with the zombie and how he’d been wise enough to open the door.

He frowned. “Well, it certainly sounds like they’re evolving into something a little more dangerous.”

Just then my father stepped into the kitchen and tossed me a brand new automobile charger for my cell phone.

“Awesome, dad!” I shrieked, throwing my arms around him. “Now I can charge my phone so mom can finally reach us!”

He frowned. “I lost my damn phone a few days ago, so yours is the only way we can communicate with her. Start charging it right away.”

I nodded, feeling giddy for the first time since Bryce had kissed me passionately in the garage the other day.

My dad rubbed his eyes and yawned. “Listen kids, I’m going to bed, I can’t remember the last time I slept.”

“Yeah, we definitely could use you alert when you’re behind the wheel,” I answered.

He nodded. “It’s about a twenty hour drive so I’d like to leave here at daybreak, if that works for you? In fact, why don’t you get everyone to start packing some supplies for the trip. There’s bottled water and a boatload of non-perishable food items in your mom’s pantry.”

I smiled. “I guess her using all those coupons and stock piling up on snacks for the daycare really paid off.”

My dad’s eyes grew moist and he looked away. “Yeah, and I used to give her so much crap about it.”

I squeezed his arm. “Don’t worry dad, she knows it’s just your way.”

He sighed. “Well, get that phone charged,” he said. “I need to find out what’s happening to our baby girl.

~~~

After I went into the garage and plugged my phone into the truck, Austin followed me downstairs where we found Eva reading through a stack of children’s magazines on the loveseat in my dad’s “
Man Cave”
. Bryce was snoring softly on the sofa next to her.

“Having fun?” I asked her.

She snorted and put down the magazine she was leafing through. “God, I’m so bored. I’ve been trying to wake Bryce to see if he would play cards or something with me, but he’s being such a “fuddy-duddy”.”

I gave her an incredulous look. “Wake him up? Leave him sleep! He’s going to be driving to Atlanta soon and needs the rest. My dad is trying to do the same thing.”

“Shucks, I can drive too if they need me,” said Austin. “We can take turns.”

“Austin, that’s not the point. As usual Eva thinks the world revolves around her and who cares about anyone else.”

Eva smirked. “Wow, are you on the rag Wild?”

“Nice comeback, brain-dead
,
” I snapped.

“Can’t we all just get along?” mumbled Bryce who was now apparently awake. He had one of his eyes opened and looked a tad grumpy.

Before I could respond there was a pounding at the front door. The two dogs, Goldie and Chi Chi, who was Eva’s Chihuahua, began barking madly.

Bryce jumped off the couch and raced up the stairs and I quickly followed. When he raised his rifle and threw open the front door, my heart sank.

Chapter Five

“Oh God, what happened?” I asked.

Sara walked in with an arm around Kristie, who appeared devastated. They were followed by the rest of the girls, also looking very somber.

I picked up Megan, who was holding Kylie’s hand. The poor two year old appeared bewildered by everyone’s misery.

“Let me take her downstairs,” said Bryce softly, motioning to Megan.

I gave her a kiss on the forehead, then handed her over to him. When they were gone, I asked again. “Well, what happened?”

“It was...horrible,” shuddered Sara, Megan’s mother, who’s about six months pregnant.

I looked behind them towards the front door; someone was missing. “Where’s Hannah?”

Kristie covered her face and began sobbing.

“She…the zombies got her,” choked Paige who also started to cry.

I looked down and noticed her metal bat, which she’d carried everywhere with her. It was covered with something dark and grisly.

Sara cleared her throat. “When we arrived at the cabin, we found Kristie’s family…dead. There were two zombies in the house; one of them attacked and killed Hannah before we could do anything.”

I covered my mouth in horror, unable to speak.

Kylie, a miniature version of her mother, began crying. I reached over and took her into my arms. She was only thirteen and had been through so much living hell this week that she could probably use therapy for the rest of her years, along with the rest of us.

“Oh, they’re back,” griped Eva as she trudged up the stairs, followed by Austin. The look of contempt she gave Paige was enough to set me off.

“Listen Eva,” I snarled, “get the hell away from us before I go find my hammer and pound some sense into that gaping hole above your ears.”

Eva’s mouth dropped open and before she could respond, Austin grabbed her arm, pulling her back downstairs and away from my angry red face. When she was gone, I released a ragged sigh then turned to Kristie who was actually smiling through her tears.

“Damn girl, you’ve been hanging around us too long haven’t you?” she said.

I shrugged. “No, it’s just PMS.”

~~~

About an hour later, Kristie and the other girls retired to the Daycare area to get some rest before we left for the road trip. There was nothing holding anyone back in Wolf Creek, so it was decided that they’d also accompany us to Atlanta. Safety was in numbers and we didn’t need any more casualties in this zombie war.