The Darkening (A Zombie Awakening) (12 page)

BOOK: The Darkening (A Zombie Awakening)

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“I found you a cage for your pet zombie.” She stepped back and grinned. “It kept out two really big ones, so I think it’s sturdy enough.”

“You’re one crazy freak, you know that?” Colton lowered his head and kissed her, driving all thought and reason out the door.

His kiss might not have been her firs
t
, but it was the first that left her breathless and her body tingling. She didn’t care that he was covered with zombie blood
or that her shirt was ripped and her hair wet with sweat
.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed closer, returning his kiss as if it were the last one she’d ever receive.
Who knew? Maybe it would be. They weren’t guaranteed the next breath. Not in this world.

Her legs weakened
,
and her heart fluttered. Who knew a kiss could be so hot?

“Seriously? We’re running for our lives and you two are making out?” Mychal stood in the doorway and frowned. “I’ve seen everything now.” He whirled and stomped away.

Colton laughed and stepped back, keeping his hands on Chalice’s shoulders. “Us kissing was the most memorable thing he’s seen?”

Face hot, stomach still dancing, Chalice headed for the open garage door. She sidestepped dead zombies and halted in surprise.

Fred leaned against the truck. Blood dripped down his arm and from another spot on his neck. Two fingers were missing from his
left
hand.

Chalice pulled a pistol from her waistband and marched up to hold the barrel against his
crotch
. “You tried to rape me.”

“What? No.” He shook his head. “You came on to me, you little whore.”

###

Colton threw a punch to the man’s jaw, snapping
Fred’s
head back. No one talked about Chalice that way
, much less lay hands on her
.
“You’re bit.” He
jumped
back, his hand going for his gun.

“Her dog bit me.”

“Lady latched on to your arm then came to me a few minutes later.” Chalice narrowed her eyes. “You screamed and attracted the zombies to you, then fired your weapon.”

“That’s right.” Colton stepped to her side. “We ran in when we heard your gunfire
,
Y
ou were on the floor with a zombie on top of you
.
We could clean the blood off
to tell for sure
. I’ve studied enough medical books to be able to tell a human bite from a dog’s.
”
He was tempted to keep Fred as his experiment, but preferred someone smaller and weaker.
Besides, he didn’t want the reminder of what the man tried to do to Chalice.

He also needed to form a mask of some sort so the zombie couldn’t bite anyone. He couldn’t do that while the person could still reason. And, as much as he’d like to cut off the man’s hands for touching Chalice, he couldn’t do that to someone he knew. No matter how rotten the person was.
But, they could still use the cage.

“I suggest we put Fred in the dog crate in the storage room. If he doesn’t turn in a few days, we release him. If he does turn, we put a bullet through his skull.” Colton glanced from Bill to Chalice.

Bill nodded. “Sounds like a fair idea.” He sighed and leaned against the bumper of the truck, keeping his rifle aimed at Fred’s gut. “
A little over a month
ago, the world went dark. I have little hope of things getting better. Maybe the sun will come out again once the dust settles or maybe something darker will descend upon us. Either way, I aim to keep kicking until there’s no breath left in me. I expect others to do the same.

“Fred,” Bill sighed. “You’ve got a choice. If you were bit, I can shoot you now and keep you from the nightmare of turning into one of those
things
or you can stick to your story of not being bitten and live in a cage for a few days
and then die
. Which is it?”

Fred took off running for the woods. Bill raised his rifle and fired. “A darn shame
to have to kill a survivor
. Sure wish I had a cigarette.”

“We’ve got some we planned for barter. I’ll get you a pack.” Mychal stepped into the motor home and returned a few seconds later with a pack of smokes in his hand. “I’m glad you shot him, Mr.
Colman, especially with what Chalice said. If you hadn’t, he might’ve gone after one of the younger girls next time. It isn’t right for a man like that to keep walking this
earth
no matter how much everything has gone to hell.”

Bill clapped him on the shoulder. “You’re a wise boy.” He looked at Colton. “Now, where? Vehicles are as full
of gas a
s we could get them.”

“I’ll take Mychal with me to get the crate, and we’ll keep heading toward Colorado Springs, I guess.”

“You plan on putting a zombie in that crate?” Bill scratched his head. “And there’s nowhere to put the crate but in the back of my truck.”

“Yes, sir, I do.” Colton explained his theory.

“I think I can help you
with your experiment
. I locked a little girl in the bathroom.
She l
ooks newly turned
.
I couldn’t bring myself to shoot her. Guess I could pull out her teeth and cut off her hands instead. Still seems barbaric, though.”

“I just want to know whether there’s hope or if this is our life for what’s
left
of it.” Colton motioned for Mychal to follow him. He caressed Chalice’s cheek on his way past and winked. Her cheeks turned pink, and he grinned.

###

“Let’s rearrange the back of the truck,” Sarah told Chalice. “I don’t want any of that dead filth getting on our supplies.” She peered in Chalice’s face. “You all right after Fred’s shenanigans?”

“I’m fine. I got away, thanks to Lady.” Which reminded her she needed to tend to the dog’s wound. “If you don’t mind doing the truck yourself, my savior has a bite to tend to.”

Sarah froze. “Tell me your talking about the dog and not one of the others.”

“The dog.” She glanced to where Lady lay
beside the motor home
, Buddy licking her wounds.
The dog could do as could of a job as she could. Maybe Colton would give her some antibiotics when he returned.

At the mention of him, her heart did its funny somersault thing. She wasn’t sure how wise it was to get romantically involved with someone considering the state of the world, but now it was too late to change her mind. Colton owned her heart, plain and simple
, even after such a short time
.

By the time Sarah and Chalice had stacked the supplies against the inside far wall of the truck, the men returned with the dog crate and a snarling zombie around the age of ten.
Mr. Hightower stood guard by the motor home and refused to let any of the kids come watch.

The zombie
beat at the wire sides of the cage with bloody stumps. Black drool ran down her chin. Chalice didn’t know what they’d had to do in order to hold her down and pull her teeth. Bile rose in her throat, and she turned away.

Instead of watching the scene behind her, she stared at a sky which seemed to brighten with each day. Surely, God would clear the dust from the meteors out of the sky and send the sun in all its glory.

Otherwise, where was the hope, the reason for going on? Chalice glanced at the motor
home where Hanna, Junior
,
and Sissy peeked out.
There was no sign of Sadie. She probably grieved for her lost love.

Chalice
transferred her attention to Mychal
,
Colton
, and the others
. There was her hope. A handful of survivors who were quickly becoming her family.

She’d die for any of them
and
was aware it might come to exactly that. Taking a deep breath, she
rubbed the scars on her forearm.
Mark
s that reminded her of her mother’s sacrifice. She
climbed into the motor
home, ready for the rest of their adventure.